The Quest
by Lady Kaze
Summary: AU Fantasy world. FF (UAC HL) Chapter 12 UP! Everyone is safe now... right?
1. Dungeon

Hi everyone and thank you for reading this, which happens to be my first posted fic... maybe one day I'll post the other ones.. but I really think they are not very good... ANYWAY!!!!!!!! This is a Fuu/Ferio fic BUT.... The other characters will be here, and are going to be important to the story which is in an alternate universe.  
  
AU Fantasy world. Fuu is caught in a prison and meets this green haired boy. But... why is our lovely Fuu in jail??????????????????? Read and find out. =)  
  
This may take long since I'm in college and really don't have much time but I'lll try to update as soon as possible and this also depends on the reviews which I will gladly receive.  
  
Other thing! I do not own ant characters of Rayearth, they belong to CLAMP and I'm happy for that. The story and other characters do belong to me.  
  
"" this means talking and '' means thinking.... Here it is.....  
  
............................................................................................................ The Quest  
  
Chapter one  
  
Dungeon  
  
The door of the dungeon opened as it revealed the guard and the young woman behind him. They started walking through the many aisles the prison had. It seemed that there would be no more room since every cage was occupied by more than two persons. The young woman was surprised to see that there were not only men, but women and even children inside the cages. She could not understand how they could possibly be there. There couldn't be so many thieves and bandits in Forania. Could there? She, in the other hand had reasons to be there, after all she just was caught in the middle of the battle, and she couldn't expect less than been sent to prison, after all she was a knight from their enemy. At first she even thought King Stephen would kill her immediately, but he was just and sent her for a trial. Of course she would lose it, but at least the King gave her time to live another night.  
  
The guard suddenly stopped and motioned her to get inside a cage. There was no one in there. She smiled at the guard, thanked him and entered. She inspected the place. Dirty, some rats, no daylight, just what someone could expect. She sighed and sat on the floor. The idea of dieing wasn't that bad. After all, perhaps she would have died anyway in the war, or after it. It didn't matter; she didn't like life after all. She suddenly fell asleep into a dream which very slowly became a nightmare.  
  
The door opened and a young man entered the prison mumbling something. "I can't believe he really did that to me! That stupid Eagle, next time I see him I swear I'll ...." He stopped to see a young woman lying on the floor, arms around her knees asleep. She had blonde hair and nice features. The man looked at her surprised, he couldn't say why, but that girl really caught his attention. Then something got his eyes. A tear suddenly appeared from her closed eye and fell through her cheek and got lost by the neck. This startled him and decides to wake her up. He carefully took her into his arms and shake her slowly. The girl opened her eyes. He suddenly felt a bolt of lighting through his body; those were the most beautiful eyes he'd ever seen. An intense green was looking at him. The girl, suddenly realized their situation and blushed furiously. He smiled and helped her to get up. 'Such beautiful eyes, but they're so sad.' He thought to himself. The young woman looked at him. The green haired boy took her hand and after kissing it, he introduced himself. "Hi, the name is Ferio." And smiled at her. She looked at him and gave a very red blush as answer. ............................................................................................................ Well................guess that's it for know... must remember..first fic so please don't be mean! =)  
  
KAZE 


	2. Tunnel

Last chapter was really short! I'm very sorry. I'll try to write longer chapters I promise. They just seem bigger in Word. Anyway ! Rayearth belongs to CLAMP.  
  
On with the fic!  
  
............................................................................................................  
  
The Quest  
  
Chapter 2  
  
Tunnel  
  
Ferio smiled at the girl in front of him. When he kissed her hand it really startled her and made her blush a lot. He found out he really liked to see her like that. The girl tried to regain herself and introduced.  
  
"Very nice to meet you Ferio-san. My name is Fuu, Hououji Fuu." She said this while giving him a reverence.  
  
'A polite lady eh?' Ferio watched at her. She noticed this and looked away from him.  
  
"I'm really sorry I awaked you, but you seemed to be having unpleasant dreams."  
  
Fuu, still watching the wall moved her head as saying no. She really was having a terrible nightmare, but just couldn't talk about it, she never had. The images of the dream started to appear in her mind and she tried to pull them away, when she felt the touch of his hand on her cheek.  
  
Ferio swept away a tear that remained on her fragile skin. She blushed and looked at him. She looked into his eyes. When she had awoken she saw them and felt strange, but his eyes showed her a very lively person, but now, the way he was looking at her made her feel bad. His eyes suddenly became sad, and with concern.  
  
"You shouldn't lie." He said very softly. Fuu gave a few steps away and sat on the floor again. Ferio followed her and sat next to her. She didn't comply. She felt very tired at the moment, and , even if she didn't want to admit it, his presence made her feel good, safe. Ferio continued looking at her, as if trying to find something. He robed his head and gave a big yawn, he really was tired to. But his anger was way more bigger than his sleep.  
  
"So., why are you here?" he said trying to make out a conversation.  
  
"I was fighting out there and got caught." She answered simply and without looking at him. He was very surprised. Fighting? At the war? This young woman was really out there fighting. She really didn't look like a fighter. She didn't even wear armor or anything.  
  
"Really?" She looked at him with her sad eyes and nodded. "I'm a sorcerer form Kiam."  
  
Ferio looked at her. 'A sorcerer! That would explain it.'  
  
"Why are you here Ferio-san?" she said looking at him. He smiled at her. "I robbed a cloak and got caught." He simply said. But he then saw at Fuu. She was staring at him. The she just said: "You shouldn't lie."  
  
Ferio was surprised. As far as he knew, he could always make people believe what he wanted them to believe. But she didn't fell for it. Ferio looked at her and smile.  
  
"You really are some kind of a girl." He said as he got up. Fuu blushed and followed him. He started pressing his hands towards the walls of the cage. He then put an ear on it and stayed like that for some seconds. Then he watched at the ceiling and then walked near the bars of the prison. Fuu watched him all the time. 'He isn't trying to escape, is he?' she thought as Ferio continued to walk through the small room.  
  
"A friend of mine got me here." He said while he was touching the floor. "That's not a very friendly thing to do. Is it?" she said while she looked at him. He didn't answer. After a couple of minutes he smiled at her. "So; you're trial will be..?" "Tomorrow." She answered plainly. "Tomorrow eh? Well so I guess it's good I'm here." He said as he pushed three rocks on the wall at the same time and a hole in the floor started to open. Fuu looked at him very impressed. She knew he was trying to find a way out but that was too much. Ferio leapt inside the hole and extended his left hand to Fuu. But she didn't took it.  
  
"Thank you very much Ferio-san, but I think I'll stay." She said as she gave him her back and started to walk to the other side of the room. Ferio looked at her puzzled and was about to ask her but some footsteps told him there was no time.  
  
Fuu heard some footsteps and was about to tell Ferio to hurry up, when Ferio caught her in his arms and jumped into the hole, he pressed four rocks in the wall of the tunnel and the hole closed. Ferio was so fast Fuu couldn't even say a word.  
  
They walked for many hours, Fuu couldn't tell exactly how many, but was sure it was already night. She also felt very tired. Not just because of the walking, but because all that's happened in that day. She was fighting in the battlefield when she felt the cold sword touch her arm. She got injured and was held captive. She then was healed and sent to prison. She sighed and looked at Ferio. He was walking in front of her. The tunnel had poor light, some torches were in the passage and Ferio held one. She was somewhat angry. She really liked the idea of dieing the next day. But for some strange reason, she couldn't be really mad at him, she even felt kind of happy. She suddenly stopped. Ferio turned and saw her in the dim light. They haven't talked at all during the travel. He thought that maybe she was upset or something. He didn't even really know why he took her away. In his business she would be a burden. But he saved her. He looked at her waiting for something when she suddenly smiled at him.  
  
"Thank you for rescuing me Ferio-san."  
  
Ferio smiled.  
  
"It was nothing. But please, just call me Ferio." ............................................................................................................ I hope you liked it. By the way, my native language is Spanish, and according to me my English is acceptable. But I am not really sure. Please if my writing is HORRIBLE say so. I'll really try to correct it. (Grammar etc..) well take care  
  
KAZE 


	3. Sorceress

HI! It's me again! Another chapter AND.....no reviews... well, must be my fault. (Story must suck) I'll really try to make this better... this story is an idea that just came up and I really have to write it down. If it doesn't work out... I'll still finish it. =)  
  
SO!! For those who dare read this... Thank you very very very much! Hope you like it.  
  
Rayearth belongs to CLAMP.  
  
The Quest  
  
Chapter Three: Sorceress  
  
Ferio watched the endless tunnel before them. He was sure they've walked for many hours, and according to him, they should have already gotten out of there. But he couldn't find a way out. He knew those tunnels very well, and had traveled through them a thousand times, so he couldn't really understand what was happening. He searched in his mind for shortcuts and hidden doors inside the under-tunnel, but he found nothing, and for getting things worse he was starting to feel sleepy. He looked down at him, there in the floor laid Fuu. She was very tired and Ferio offered her to sleep while he thought of a way out. At first she refuse. 'Maybe she doesn't trust me.' Thought Ferio, but found it to be very normal, after all they just met. But it somehow made him feel sad. After arguing some minutes Fuu decides to go to sleep. Ferio watched to the way they've come from and then to the way that was before them. A headache started to appear. "Some sleep will help me remember." He said while he sat on the floor and fell asleep almost immediately.  
  
A little girl was running toward a house. She was smiling and yelling something to a man that waited patiently in the door of the house. He was smiling too, but his face couldn't be seen. The girl ran and ran faster but the house just seemed to get farther. The smile of the girl was substituted by a desperate face. It seemed she would never reach the house. And for some reason that made her feel uneasy and sad. She felt she was losing something very important and couldn't reach it. And then, it happened. The house was out of sight and a big noise filled the air. Something like an explosion. The girl stood there. And the fire reached the horizon. "Fuu!" "Run Fuu!" "Don't hurt her!" ".....Run....."  
  
Fuu woke up in cold sweat. Tears in her eyes. That dream again. She couldn't really understand it, she didn't know that house, or the man . She couldn't remember ever being in a place like that when she was a child. But in hurt. Every time it hurt and made her feel exactly the same emotions of the girl. The pain, the desperation, it hurt very much. But she could do nothing to help it. 'Just like that girl.' She thought cleaning her face with her sleeve. "Nothing at all." She murmured. She then spotted Ferio, who was now fast asleep. She smiled and got up. 'Maybe he can't remember the way out. I just hope the guards won't catch us. I wouldn't like Ferio to be sentenced to death like me.'  
  
She was about to sit down again when she heard a sound. It wasn't footsteps. At least not normal footsteps. It was the sound of a big creature walking. Fuu could hear the heavy breath growing nearer. She took the torch of the wall and shut it down. She then tried to wake up Ferio. She started moving him slowly, but he wouldn't wake up. She then tried calling his name very softly. Ferio opened his eyes and found himself in darkness. He was about to say something when Fuu pressed one finger on his lips. Ferio heard the sound coming form behind them. He didn't had to guess. He already knew that sound. That laze walking and the heavy breath. They had to get out of there fast.  
  
He took her hand as she got something strange out of her skirt pocket. It was like a gem that when she pronounced some strange words, Ferio couldn't recognize, lit up. It gave a very dim light. They started walking fast. Ferio couldn't understand what was that thing doing there. They continued to walk trying no to do any noise. Fuu looked back every once in a while. She could see nothing. Ferio suddenly stopped. "I was hoping it didn't know we were here. But it seems we are not that lucky." He said as he watched nervously around them. Fuu watched him. "What is it?" Fuu asked in a whisper. "An Ughser." He said. Fuu looked at Ferio very impressed. 'What is an Ughser doing down here?' she asked herself. She knew those creatures existed though she'd never seen one in her hole life. But she liked to study very much. And knew perfectly well that they were not safe.  
  
Fuu and Ferio tried not to move, not to breath, though they new it was in vain, for the Ughser could smell anything and once it has chosen its prey, it wouldn't let it go. Ferio became very worried because he didn't even had his sword, the guards took it along with his other weapons when he was capture. Fuu didn't seem to have a weapon either. They were in big trouble. Fuu felt Ferio becoming very tense. They could hear nothing. "The creature will appear before us any moment now." Ferio whispered to Fuu near her ear. She felt a shiver through her body. Ferio paid close attention to their surroundings. The monster could appear and attack. "Our left side?" Ferio mumbled. "In front of us?" "Or maybe ....."  
  
Ferio took Fuu from her shoulders and pushed her to the floor just when the monster appeared behind them and slashed thin air with its big claws.  
  
Ferio got up holding Fuu. The mosnter was in front of them looking very angry. Ferio looked around, their only chance was to run and pray the exist was near. The monster suddenly ran toward them with its big mouth open ready to smash anything on ita way. Ferio pushed Fuu to one side. The monster crashed into the wall with Ferio right down him. The monster rose his claw ready to hit Ferio. He couldn't move, anyway, all the exits were blocked. He closed his eyes. 'I'm just sorry I couldn't protect her longer.' He thought as the monster's claw got down. Ferio waited for his death when he heard Fuu's voice. "Mamori no Kaze!" Ferio felt a strong wind gathering all around him. The monster's claw was stopped by Fuu's protecting spell. It ran toward the young woman. Ferio tried to stop it by holding its purple hairy tail, but the monster was to strong. Fuu couldn't attack the monster if Ferio was there. "Get off the monster!" she yelled. Ferio let go and gust of wind cut the monster until it was unconscious.  
  
Ferio looked at the monster then at Fuu. She hurried toward him. "We must get out before it regains its conscious." She said helping Ferio to get up. "That was cool." He told her as they started to run. She just smiled and blushed a little bit.  
  
They ran as fats as they could. They needed to get rid of the monster or at least make it lose their tracks. Ferio had remembered a way out of that place and guided Fuu along the tunnels. They continued until they reached a wall. Fuu looked puzzled at Ferio but he smiled and pointed to the cealing. There was a door.  
  
"We just need to get there to open it." He said searching to something to climb up. "If you push me up I may be able to open it." Fuu sail looking at the door., not really sure if she had the necessary strength to open the hatch . "Okay. I'll get you up, just put your foot on my hands." He said putting his hands together. Fuu looked at him. "J...just, don't look up. Okay?" "Oooo!" he said with a disappointed expression. He started to enjoy teasing her just to make her blush. She put he foot on his hands and grab his should to sustain and he pushed her up.  
  
The door was stuck. It was more difficult than Fuu had thought. She pulled as hard as she could but the door would just not open. "What about some magic?" Ferio said. He was starting to get nervous. After all, the monster could appear suddenly. "It could help, but..." Fuu bit her lip. "Give it a try!" "The door will break into pieces. Is that okay?" "It's better than becoming that monster's dinner!" he was starting to get tired. His armes ached, but it wasn't Fuu's weight the cause. He suddenly felt dizzy. "HURRY!!" he said in exasperation. Fuu looked down at him. Something was wrong. "Right. Let me down." She said helping herself down. Once on the floor she cast a spell. "Midori no shippu." Ferio saw the wind came out of her and up to the door. It broke the door with ease. The pieces of wood fell and the morning sunlight entered through the hole.  
  
"I'll go first. Then I can help you out more easily." Ferio said before jumping in a spectacular way. He got hold of the side of the trap door and pulled himself up. Once there, he offered his hand to Fuu. She jumped until she got his hand. He pulled her up. Once they were out, Fuu found themselves in a forest. She looked at Ferio, who was standing giving her his back. Ha was obviously trying to recognize the place. Fuu looked at him, she really hadn't looked at him before, only his eyes. She noticed his bard clothes, then she gasped.  
  
"Oh my! Your hurt!" she said standing up getting close to him. His left arm was soaked in blood. Ferio looked at his arm, he didn't feel very well. In fact, he felt he could collapse any moment now, but he was determined to get Fuu to a safer place. He was about to tell her he was all right, when is strength left his legs and almost fell, for Fuu caught him. She helped him sit on the floor. Then she putted her hand over Ferio's wounded arm and cast another spell. This time, Ferio felt the breeze's touch making the pain go away. The wound disappeared and he felt strong again. He smiled at Fuu.  
  
"Now, you are all right." She said smiling at him. "Yeah! You really are a powerful sorceress." But Fuu couldn't answer, she fainted on his arms.  
  
NEXT CHAPTER: MONSTERS  
  
A brown haired young man walked trough the forest....... 


	4. Monsters

Hi!!! It's me again with a new chapter. I'm kind of sad because I failed something at school. And I'm on exams week.!!!!! Any way I´ll do my best.  
  
I wanted to thank Kiraa for the review I received, it really helped me a lot writing this chapter.  
  
Well, here it is, enjoy! Rayearth belongs to CLAMP.  
  
The Quest  
  
Chapter Four: Monsters  
  
A young man with brown hair walked through the forest. He was wearing a black cloak and carrying some fruits in a basket.  
  
"I hope Hikaru won't get in many problems." He said sighing looking around. His green eyes looked everywhere, he knew perfectly well that those woods were dangerous. He was about to eat one of the fruits when suddenly he hear a big roar. A monster was hunting. He didn't know why, but he suddenly had the urge of going and see if everything was all right. He jumped up to a tree and started running toward the sound's direction.  
  
When he finally got there, he saw a monster attacking a man with green hair. The young boy gasped, the man was carrying a woman on his arms, the wouldn't make it. He closed his eyes and conjured a star inside a circle. "Monster I Summon thee!" a big monster with humanoid appearance, bird head and brown feathers appeared from the circle.  
  
Ferio tried to evade all the slashes the monster was making but he was very tired. He had run in hopes of getting rid of the monster or find a way to make a trap or something, but he found nothing. To make things worse, Fuu was unconscious and that limited him greatly. "Think Ferio, think!" he told to himself, when out of nowhere, a brown monster appeared and started fighting the monster . Ferio watched the battle until finally the brown monster made the other one to flea. Ferio looked puzzled at the huge bird. "T..thank you." He stammered approaching nervously to their savior. The monster gave a squeaky noise. Ferio smiled. "I'll take that as a 'you are welcome'". The bird suddenly looked up at a bench of a tree. Ferio saw a young man with brown hair watching him from above. "So, he is your master." He said to the creature. The monster nodded. Ferio looked up again. "Hey! Thanks a lot!" he yelled. The young man looked down at Ferio. He must be two or three years older than him. 'He must be twenty.' He thought. He was wearing clothes that clearly showed he was a bard. Green hair, golden eyes, two scars, one on the bridge of his nose and the other one on his left cheek shaped as an x. 'He looks like a nice man.' The boy thought. The woman he was holding should be his age, eighteen. Golden hair. She was wearing strange clothes, a dark green dress with a black band at her waist. The dress had a royal symbol on the chest. Two eagles holding a crown. The symbol was white. He recognized the emblem but decided they were good people.  
  
Ferio thought the boy should be very shy. He got of the tree and approached the couple. "It was nothing. Is she all right?" he said pointing at Fuu with the head. Ferio looked down at her. She was very pale. "I don't know what happened to her, but I think she is tired, I'm not sure. My name is Ferio, she is Fuu." "I'm Ascot. You say you aren't sure?" "Well, I've heard that people that use magic have to rest sometimes when they exceed, but you should know better." "Yes, when you use it too much." Ascot touched her forehead and closed his eyes. "You are right, she needs some rest." Ferio sighed with relief. "Thank goodness." Ferio looked at Fuu, he was really worried she had something worse. "You are in trouble; aren't you?" Ascot said looking straight at Ferio. His golden eyes saw his green for the first time. "What do you mean? We were just attacked by a monster." Ferio said smiling. Ascot smiled and pointed at Fuu's emblem. Ferio looked at it. "Well.....maybe we have some issues." "She's your friend?" Ascot asked. Ferio looked at Ascot. "Yeah." He said starting to walk back. If that guy thought he could tun them to the soldiers he was wrong. "I meant, that maybe you'd like to come my house. She needs to rest and so you do. The forest is dangerous and you'll just get into more trouble. I am not trying to betray you or anything. Though you don't have to come if you don't want to." Ferio turned around and looked at Ascot's eyes. He could tell he wasn't lying. "You mean you don't care who she is?" Ascot smiled at him. "Not at all."  
  
Ferio looked into Ascot's house. It was a very cozy place. In fact he and Ascot had similar houses. Ferio didn't had just one place to live. But he had his favorite place. It was a tree house he made himself. It didn't had any furniture, but still cozy. For Ferio it was still what he could call true home. Ascot's house was too on a tree, well it was really in the tree. Form the outside it was just a huge tree, but it had nothing in the inside, that's where his house was. It had a bed, a table with three chairs, a bookshelf with lots of books and place to make some fire. There were some animals and tiny monster inside the house, it was obvious they lived there. All of them seemed to care for Ascot.  
  
Fuu was sleeping on Ascot's bed while he prepared something to eat. Ferio looked at Fuu. "I'm a sorcerer from Kiam." Ferio remembered her saying so. Kiam was trying to conquer Forania. But Ferio couldn't care less. He was a rouge that had always survived by his own. If Kiam conquered Forania for him there would be no difference, he'll just survive as he had always done.  
  
"What were you doing in this woods? They are pretty dangerous." Ascot said as he served some food to Ferio. "I know. I've been here before. It was a mistake." He said playing with the soup with the spoon. "You are escaping?" ascot said while eating his meal with a small animal on his lap. "Yep, well, we already escaped." "You are lucky. Guards don't usually come this far." There was a moment of silence. "What are you doing all alone in here?" Ferio asked finishing his soup. Ascot stared at his plate. "I'm not alone, I live with my friends." Ferio understood the monster were his friends. "What about your family?" "They made me leave when they found out I was a summoner." Ferio stared at Ascot. He felt very identified with him. Though they were not the same, Ascot was innocent and caring. He on the other hand.... "Sorry." He said. Ascot smiled. "It's okay, I've already learned to deal with it. What about you?" "I'm just a bard." He said "What about her?" "I know little. She is a sorceress form Kiam. I...I just met her at prison." Ascot looked at her and then to Ferio. "But you care for her. She should be all right." "I know. Ascot. Why do you help us?" Ascot looked at Ferio. "Because I trust you. I know I don't even know you, but it's something I have. Beside my friends think you are good people, and they never are mistaken. You needed help." Ferio smiled and yawned. "It must be cool to speak with them." Ascot gave a very big smile. "Yes it is."  
  
Next morning, Ferio woke up in a chair beside the bed. Fuu was still sleeping. Through the night she had nightmares, but she never woke up. Ferio became very worried and asked Ascot if she was really okay. He said that she needed more rest. 'More?' Ferio thought. He looked around. Ascot was no where to be found. Some of his friends were there. Ferio stretched his arms and yawned. He remembered Ascot telling him that he would go for some food and clothes to the nearest town. He must had left early.  
  
"She can't go around Forania with those clothes." Ascot said that night. Ferio agreed and asked Ascot to buy some clothes for the two of them. Ferio didn't have money but Ascot lend some.  
  
Ferio looked back at Fuu. He couldn't say what but he felt something very strange around her. For instance, he had helped her more than once and decided to risk his own life just to save her. That was not like him and he wondered why he was doing all those things for her. 'We've just met.' He thought while looking at her. 'But you are really beautiful.' He thought taking some hair off her eyes. She then opened them.  
  
She stared at Ferio and smiled. He helped her sit. "I was starting to worry." He said sitting on the bed just beside her. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to." "It's okay. It wasn't your fault. Are you feeling fine?" "Yes, thank you ....maybe a little bit dizzy, but I'll be fine." Ferio gave her a smile and for some reason made her blush. "You look very pretty when you blush." He said rubbing his head. This made her blush even more. She tried to look around and change subject. She found herself in a strange place. "Where are we?" she asked not looking at him. "This is Ascot's house. He helped us in the forest." "Oh....I hope he aren't bothering him." She said now looking at her hands on her lap. "It's okay. He is really a nice guy. You'll find out. He went to town for some clothes. We both agreed you couldn't be wearing that uniform of yours." He said pointing at her white emblem. She looked at it too. She had forgotten for some minutes who she was. She was a soldier form a country that was trying to invade Ferio's. This thought made her heart hurt. Ferio saw her change of mood. She was sad again. Like when he met her. "Are you all right?" he asked touching her forehead. "Yes I'm fine. Thank you." She replied not looking at him. "What are your plans?" he asked still touching her forehead as trying to make sure she was fine. She bit her lip. She didn't know for sure what to do. When she was captured she was sure they'll kill her. But now she was free. Her duty was to return, report and continue fighting for her people. The thought of death appeared bright and tempting in her mind. Ferio grabbed her hand. She looked at him and realized it was not only her hate for war what made her not wanting to return. Those eyes... "I...I should go back." she stammered returning her gaze to her hands. Ferio frowned. "Are you sure?" "Yes." She lied. "Really?" he asked again. "What makes you doubt me?" she asked still looking down. He took her chin carefully and made her look at him. "Your eyes." He said very softly. She looked at him tears starting to gather in her eyes. He hugged her and she placed her head on his chest, tears flowing freely now. She'd never cried with someone before. She always cried alone and she made sure no one ever noticed she cried. She didn't want to made them worry. But now, there she was, crying in his arms, and she couldn't explain why. He looked at her and made a decision. 'Eagle will have to wait.' He cleaned her face of the tears with his finger. "I'll help you whatever is your decision ." he said and smiled. She gave him a weak smile and was about to protest when a fluffy wite thing jumped on them. "MOKONA!"  
  
Ascot walked in a very crowded street. He carried a bag. He had already bought Ferio's outfit, but hadn't gotten Fuu's. 'I don't even know her size.' He thought while looking for a store. He rubbed his eyes. He barely slept last night. He and Ferio talked of almost everything, about the monsters and the war and even about some funny thongs that happened to them in other times. Ascot spoke about his family and friends but Ferio always turned away the subject if it concerned his family. Ferio didn't answered him when he asked what was he doing at prison. He shook his head and continued walking. He soon found a store and a dress for Fuu. He wasn't sure it would fit her but at least it was something. He got out of the store to see a crowd of people hearing a man. He was obviously a high soldier. He had silver hair and golden eyes. He spoke of war. "Kiam thought they could defeat us but they were wrong. Know that we have capture their princess they'll soon surrender!" He said as the people started shouting happily. Ascot frowned. 'They captured their princess? That was dangerous. But perhaps he was right and war would stop.' "Will attack with everything and show them who deserves to reign all over this world!" the man shouted again gaining more people on his side. Ascot didn't like the sound of that. If war could be over then ,why did they wanted to fight? He saw a man in black armor beside he man who was speaking. He had long black hair and was very serious. For some reason he remembered him of someone. "He's Lantis' older brother." A young female voce spoke form behind. He turned to see a red headed girl smiling at him. "Hikaru! You had me worried!" Ascot said looking at the girl. She looked like she was a girl, but in fact she was already eighteen. "I'm sorry Asco-kun. But I couldn't let poor Mokona on the hands of tat evil witch." She said smiling all the time. Ascot sweatdroped. "You mean... ?" he said and she nodded hiding something behind her. "Oh goodness." He said trying to look behind her when a fluffy white thing appeared form behind her and jumped into his arms. Ascot wasn't that pleased. "Mokona.You are back." He said. Hikaru was smiling and seemed to be very happy. "I know it really is a mess and that has destroyed your works more than once. But we can't let a friend alone." Said Hikaru patting Mokona. Ascot smiled. She was right. "Okay, okay. It's all right. I really kind of missed it." He said and Mokona jumped even more happily. Ascot smiled and looked back at the soldiers. "So, that's Zagato." He said "Yeap! Lantis is not very happy at him. I think they argued this morning, it was about the war." She said patting Mokona. "The war?" "Lantis said that our soldiers captured Kiam's princess. But you know his never liked wars." "Well, he's not the only one." "I know." She looked at Zagato. "But it seems Zagato is very pleased." Ascot nodded. "Who's the man with him?" Ascot asked. "His name is Innouva. He is an old friend of Zagato." "I see." He watched the soldiers for a last time. "Lets go. I want to introduce you someone." Hikaru jumped exited and followed her friend.  
  
On the gates of the town's exist were some soldiers. They seemed to be posting the news. Ascot read them. It mentioned the captured of the Kiam princess, the names of the men that had died the day before and at the bottom... Ascot gasped. "Reward: Two prisoners form the capital had escaped...." Ascot grabbed Hikaru's wrist and ran toward the woods.  
  
"MOKONA!" Fuu and Ferio watched the strange creature in front of them. "Don't be scaring people like that." Said a young girl with red hair and red eyes. She smiled at them. "Hi! My name is Hikaru. Nice to meet you!" She said giving them a big smile. Fuu smiled too and gave a small bow. "I'm Fuu Hououji. Nice to meet you Hikaru –san." "I'm Ferio." He stood and got near Ascot. "Fuu this is Ascot." "Ascot- san, thank you very much for what you've done for us." Said Fuu bowing again. Ascot smiled. "It was really nothing." And he remembered he had their clothes. He took the bag and got two packages from it. He gave one to Fuu and other one to Ferio. Both of them thanked him and went to change. In the meantime Ascot explained their situation to Hikaru. Ferio's outfit was a pale green long shirt that has a little bit longer than his waist and black pants.. Fuu's was a simple pale green dress. Ascot was happy to find out it fitted her perfectly. "Fuu –chan! You look very beautiful!" said Hikaru looking at her. Ferio agreed. And they made Fuu blush a little bit. Ascot smiled but then remembered. He had to tell something important to them. "There's is something you need to know." Fuu and Ferio turned to look at him. "What is it?" asked Ferio. "They've already posted a reward for you two." Fuu looked worried at Ferio. She didn't want to get any of them in trouble. Ferio looked at her. "We still don't know what we'll do. But it is sure we need to get out of here." Ferio started to walk to the other side of the room. Ascot looked at him. "You can't. They've put a lot of security. And you know this forest is surrounded by towns. You'll have to wait." "They could escape in two days. There won't be many guards around this place." Said Hikaru playing with Mokona. "How do you know?" asked Ferio. "I'm friend of the captain of the southern part of Forania." She said smiling. "Don't worry, he is friend." Ascot said. "Why will they let this part unguarded? Asked Fuu. "Because they are going to the capital, since they captured Kiam's princess..." Fuu let go the glass she was holding. The three of them stared at her. Fuu got near Hikaru. "You say they've captured the princess?" she said trying to calm herself. Hikaru nodded sadly. Fuu turned around closing her eyes and clenching her fist. "Umi-san."  
  
Well, did you like it? Seriously people say something! How am I supposed to know if this is going well if you readers don't tell me. Anyway... I really hope you liked it. Please take care!  
  
KAZE  
  
Next Chapter: BONDS  
  
King Stephen looked at the woman in front of him and smiled. 


	5. Bonds

Hello!  
  
Another chapter up!  
  
Oky. First things first. I wanted to apologize with everyone because some people sent me e-mails telling me that they couldn't review because I blocked the anonymous reviews. And they were right!!!! I didn't know I had that thing on my settings. I'm so very sorry. But it's over now. Everyone can review from now on.  
  
Well, I also wanted to thank Marlene for her e-mail and Yume no Kokoro for her review. (Actually they were the ones who told me about the block thing) And to Val for his mails and support. Thank you very much!  
  
Well. This chapter is a little bit longer. And I hope you like it.  
  
CLAMP owns Rayearth.  
  
The Quest  
  
Chapter Five: BONDS  
  
King Stephen looked at the woman in front of him and smiled.  
  
"So, you say you've found the way to get to that secret place?" the king said drinking some wine. He held the cup with his right hand and was playing with the liquid inside it. The woman in front of him made a reverence and took something out of her pocket.  
  
"It's a strange creature. I wasn't able to say what is it. But I am sure it holds the key to that place." The woman said as a picture appeared form the orb she got of her pocket. It showed a white fluffy creature with a red gem on its forehead. His majesty smiled and walked near the woman.  
  
"Well done, Alcyone. I hope you are right. I wouldn't like such a beautiful woman, like you, to have to die just because a mistake." The man took her chin and looked into her eyes. She got of his grip and took some steps backward.  
  
"I'm not mistaken, my lord. That animal has something to do with Cefiro and is also the key to conquer the rest of this world."  
  
The king returned to his throne a little bit upset. He drank from the cup and looked at the ceiling. It was transparent so he could see the sky above them. It was a rainy day, and the clouds had covered almost every inch of blue in the sky.  
  
"So, where's this creature?"  
  
Alcyone looked to her side. A man in black armor with long black hair was watching them from the side door.  
  
"It escaped." She said, her voice showing some frustration. The king looked at her, anger rising through his body.  
  
"What do you mean escaped?"  
  
"It was rescued by a girl. She attacked me by surprise. And they both escaped. I'm already trying to find them my lord, and..."  
  
"And you better find them Alcyone, if you really appreciate your life." The king stood up and left the throne room leaving an ashamed Alcyone and the man. The man approached the woman. She turned nervously to see him.  
  
"Zagato. You heard everything." She said avoiding his gaze. The man walked near the throne.  
  
"A girl defeated you?" he said smiling and touching the royal chair with his gloved hand. Alcyone felt like an idiot.  
  
"She was a powerful opponent, Zagato. And as I already said, she surprised me, I didn't expect the attack." The woman stammered trying to apologize getting nearer to the man.  
  
"Excuses Alcyone." He said sternly. She stopped and tears started to gather around her eyes.  
  
"How is it possible that one of the royal sorceress was defeated by a simple girl. What kind of power did she held?" he said walking toward the door. Alcyone would have gone behind him but found no strength on her legs or her soul.  
  
"Magic." She whispered. Zagato turned to see her.  
  
"We have registered all the people who knows magic. It's the law."  
  
"I know. But she isn't registered and she has very powerful magic."  
  
"What kind of magic?" he sounded suddenly too interested in this girl, Alcyone felt a bolt of jealously through her body.  
  
"Elemental magic. Fire." She said looking at him. But he smiled and crossed the door and turned before leaving.  
  
"You better find them, or His majesty will surely send you to jail." He said as he walked of, leaving a very upset Alcyone.  
  
"I'm terrible sorry Fuu-chan." Hikaru said as she gave the blonde a glass of water. Fuu thanked her and smiled at her. She took it but didn't drink it. She stared at the water inside it. It was calm inside the glass, inside the prison. She stared sadly at it. Ferio watched her and got close to her, but Fuu didn't look at him. Somehow, the water always made her remember her.  
  
Fuu walked through the aisles of the palace. She was looking at the open letter in her hand. It held the royal emblem of Kiam and was addressed to her. She passed through and open door, the door from the throne room. A voice could be heard from the inside. A very familiar voice. She stopped.  
  
"She won't go! I just don't accept it! I'll speak with my father!"  
  
"His highness is very delicate princess, please calm down."  
  
"CALM DOWN! Fuu was just sent to that stupid war! How am I supposed to calm down!"  
  
"We need powerful sorcerers, and she is very powerful your highness."  
  
"I don't care! She won't go! You'll see, I'll speak with my father and..."  
  
"It's not necessary your highness. Your father has signed the list of the people that would form our army. And Hououji –san is in it."  
  
"That's not true! My father wouldn't send my best friend to war. She's like my sister!!"  
  
"I'm sorry princess, but that's how things work."  
  
"Shut up ! You bastard!"  
  
Fuu heard steps coming toward the door and hurried to the next corner. She saw the princess heading the other side of the palace, probably looking for her. Fuu sighed sadly.  
  
"You haven't told her you are supposed to leave tonight, have you?" a male voice spoke form behind her. Fuu turned around to see a man with lavender hair and blue eyes. He held a staff on one hand and wear a blue robe. Fuu gasped and vowed.  
  
"Good evening Clef –sama." She said as she got straight again. She looked down the corridor and smiled at her master.  
  
"It would just make her even angrier if I go to say good-bye." The man looked sadly at her.  
  
"She'll also get angry if you don't say good-bye."  
  
The water in the glass stood immobile as her memories gathered in her mind. Fuu felt a warm hand on hers. She looked up and saw Ferio looking at her. She stood.  
  
"I have made up my mind Ferio." She said looking at him.  
  
"I'll go and save Umi-san." The blonde said as Ferio and Ascot looked at her impressed.  
  
"You shouldn't worry Fuu. I'm sure the king will send someone or do something to rescue her daughter." Ferio told her, but Fuu shook her head.  
  
"The king is very ill. Since the queen died he fell into a terrible disease." She said looking sadly at him.  
  
"What is that supposed to mean?" asked Ascot.  
  
"That the minister is taking over the government now. He's an evil man. I know it. He was the one who proposed this invasion in the first place. I am sure he won't risk a thing to save Umi-san, not a single man."  
  
Ferio and Ascot looked at each other. Rescuing the princess was a difficult task. Ferio walked near Fuu.  
  
"You know it's an almost impossible feat." He said leaning on the wall. Fuu looked at him.  
  
"Ferio, I'm very grateful to you, but this time I won't ask for your help." She said looking to the three of them.  
  
"This is my responsibility, it would be very selfish to ask for your help." She said returning her gaze to the floor. Hikaru walked near her new friend and smiled at her.  
  
"But I want to help you, Fuu-chan. Please, let me help you rescue the princess." She said hugging the blonde. Ferio smiled and put a hand on Fuu's shoulder.  
  
"I told you I'll help you whatever you wanted to do." He said smiling at her. Ascot looked at them and suddenly Mokona jumped on Fuu's arms.  
  
"This is crazy. If we get caught, we'll be sentenced for traitors. "he said sitting on his chair. "But I can't leave you three alone. So I'm on it." He said smiling at a very exited Hikaru.  
  
Fuu watched at her new friends. She was grateful, but felt sad. They shouldn't be involved in those things. Not for her.  
  
Fuu rested on the forest floor looking sadly at a dead flower. Ferio looked at her form the distance and walked toward her. It was already night and Hikaru and Ascot were sleeping. Fuu looked at Ferio as he came closer. He sat down next to her.  
  
"Hikaru says his friend, Lantis, can help us with the rescue." He said looking at the moon. It had rained almost all the day, and now the clouds covered the sky. Fuu looked at him.  
  
"I wouldn't like to involve anyone else on this." She said looking at the moon as well.  
  
"They just want to help you. So do I."  
  
Fuu looked at Ferio. She stared at his eyes watching the moon. He turned to see her.  
  
"Why do you want to save her? It seemed the news really affected you. Are you friends?" he asked. Fuu looked down at the flower.  
  
"She's...she is like a sister to me." She said softly. Ferio looked at her.  
  
"I get it. Don't worry, I'm sure she's fine."  
  
"I...it's my fault she is here." Fuu said crushing the flower in her hand, trying to control her tears. Ferio got closer and put his hand on hers.  
  
"It's not your fault." He said trying to comfort her. But she shook her head.  
  
"It is, I know her. I'm sure as soon as she heard I got captured she went to the battlefield." She sobbed. Ferio put an arm around her.  
  
"It was her decision." He said caressing her hair. But Fuu wouldn't forgive herself. She wished for her death not even thinking about her friend. Umi was into this because she wasn't strong enough to get back home.  
  
"The important thing now is to find a way to help her. After all she's already here and there's nothing you can do about it." Ferio told her cleaning her tears. He stared at Fuu.  
  
"I know we've just met. But it truly breaks my heart seeing you always so sad." Fuu blushed and didn't know what to say. But somehow, she understood him. She, in some way, felt something strange around Ferio.  
  
"I promise you I'll help you rescue her if you promise me you'll smile a lot more." He said smiling at her. She smiled back.  
  
"I'll smile for you." She told him, a small blush appearing on her cheeks.  
  
That night Fuu had the same nightmare she always had, although it was a little bit different. From the fire that cam from the house a shape appeared. A giant bird formed by the flames while the wind made them even taller. Suddenly a soft rain stopped the fire. But the screams where still there. "Run!" "Don't hurt her!" "Run!" Fuu woke up sweating again. Her head ached. She looked around to see Hikaru and Mokona sleeping by her side. Ascot and Ferio where sleeping on the floor. She sighed. The bird formed in her mind. 'What could it mean?' she thought. She had all of her life tried to understand that dream. But couldn't. It surprised her it changed, for it didn't for all those years. No one knew about that dream. Not even Umi. She knew Fuu had trouble sleeping, but never knew why. Fuu always thought it was a dream. She wouldn't worry anyone for it. But that night, she would have wanted to share it with someone. She looked at Ferio and touched her chest, right where the heart would be. 'This can't be happening to me.'  
  
"Hope you like this breakfast. I'm not a very good chef." Ascot said while serving some food on his friends plates. Everyone started to eat.  
  
"This is delicious Ascot-kun." Said Hikaru offering some to Mokona. Fuu and Ferio agreed. Fuu looked happily to the red headed and the creature.  
  
"By the way, Hikaru –san. I can't recognize Mokona-san. What kind of animal is it?" asked Fuu looking at Mokona who just Puued all the time. Hikaru shook her head.  
  
"Don't know either." She said and continued to eat.  
  
"Me neither." Said Ascot looking at Mokona.  
  
"But you are a summoner. You are supposed to know." Said Ferio looking disapprovingly at Ascot.  
  
"I know, but as far as I know, no one knows what is it."  
  
"I don't remember it on any encyclopedia." Said Fuu looking at the creature.  
  
"How do you find it?" asked Ferio finishing his food.  
  
"I found it on the Woods of Courage." Said Hikaru smiling at Mokona.  
  
"I only know it makes a mess if you leave it alone." Said Ascot looking at Mokona. Fuu stared at Mokona. She knew by heart all the specimens of their planet. And in the Woods of Courage there wasn't an animal like Mokona.  
  
"Have you find them?"  
  
"No."  
  
Alcyone walked toward the window.  
  
"Have you looked inside the forest?" she asked.  
  
"No."  
  
"And what are you waiting for?"  
  
The shadow disappeared from behind her.  
  
"Damn you little girl."  
  
That's it! Well, expect the next chapter in a week or so. Hope you liked it. Please tell me what you think about the story and everything.  
  
Take care!  
  
Kaze 


	6. Practice

SORRY!!!! I know I said I would update on a week.... and that was two weeks ago.... I'm terribly sorry!!! I really had lots of work and didn't had time.  
  
But... it's late on Sunday's night and I'm writing this and I finally finished this chapter.  
  
I must be honest, this chapter was difficult to write... but I think it is all right.  
  
Anyway... I want to thank everyone that has reviewed. Really, your comments make me want to write all the time.  
  
On the other hand... I think there's a confusion about the ages of the characters...but here it is:  
  
Fuu, Umi, Hikaru, Ascot = 18  
  
Ferio= 20  
  
Lantis = 22  
  
Well, I don't own Rayearth...just this story.  
  
Enjoy!  
  
The Quest  
  
Chapter Six: PRACTICE  
  
A man in black armor and short black hair walked through the corridor of a large house. The sun entered through the windows and the birds' singing could be heard. The man stopped and looked at the birds. He smiled and rested his body on the wall. He watched the birds for couple of minutes and then closed his eyes. the birds made him remember her. Free and always so happy. He'd never met someone like her. Her bright red eyes appeared in his memory. Remembering her made him forget all the problems he had. Remembering every time he had spent with her.  
  
"Lantis! Lantis!" Hikaru ran toward him holding something on her arms. She had a very worried expression on her face. Lantis kneeled and watched what she was holding. It was an animal. It was seriously wounded.  
  
"Lets help him, please." She said tears starting to gather in her eyes. Lantis took the small animal on his hands. They were very far away from the town. Hikaru looked at the small creature, it was a baby and had its neck injured. Its breathing was heavy. She had covered the wound with a part of her sleeve but that wasn't enough. Lantis stood up. He couldn't stand seeing her like that.  
  
"Hikaru, I'll go to the vet on town. I'll ride my horse as fast as I can. Please catch us there." He said while mounting his black horse.  
  
"I'll go with you!" she said going after him. He looked down and smiled at her.  
  
"The horse won't go so fast, please catch us there. I promise you, it'll be fine." And with that his horse got lost into the woods.  
  
Two hours later, Hikaru reached the vet and entered to find Lantis sitting on a hair. She approached carefully at him. Lantis looked at her and stood up. Hikaru was about to ask him what had happened but he talked first.  
  
"It's going to be all right." Hikaru's face lighted up with happiness and she threw herself into his arms. Tears of happiness flowing on her cheeks.  
  
"Thank you Lantis. Thank you very much!" she said hugging him with all of her strength. Lantis couldn't feel better.  
  
The memories of her were something that her cherished very much. He couldn't understand at first how she could worry about a creature she just found. It was all because her heart. He thought smiling.  
  
"She is in serious danger." A male voice said. Lantis opened his eyes and looked at the man in front of him.  
  
"What do you mean, Zagato." He said looking seriously at him.  
  
"I'm talking about that girl, the one that's been with you."  
  
Lantis looked at his brother.  
  
"How do you know about her?"  
  
Zagato smiled and stared to walk away.  
  
"I'm just warning you. You should keep an eye on her. Alcyone has some issues with her."  
  
"Alcyone." Lantis watched his older brother go. 'What has Alcyone to do with Hikaru?' he thought walking to the other way.  
  
Fuu watched Ferio practice. They were on the woods waiting for Hikaru and Ascot. Hikaru went to find his friend and Ascot was searching for news about Fuu and Ferio's reward. Ascot lent a sword to Ferio. He said he needed some practice if they were going to save Umi. Fuu stayed and watched him. She was holding a sleeping Mokona on her arms. Fuu really wondered what kind of creature it was. It really disturbed her not to know it. She had studied a lot. And she enjoyed doing so, finding out what kind of creature Mokona was, was really something like a hobby. Ferio fought an invisible foe. He jumped and swung the sword every now and then. Fuu thought he was really good at the sword. For a bard, he was really good at it. Fuu thought that she really knew very little about him. He had just said that he was a bard, and that he got into prison because he was betrayed by a friend. Fuu looked at him. She wondered how in the world he got those scars. He hadn't spoke about his family but neither she had. All that they knew about each other were the things that had to be said. She found out that she didn't mind. She trusted him. Ferio stopped practicing and approached her.  
  
"So, you know how to use this." He said pointing at the sword. She smiled and nodded.  
  
"You would expect that from a soldier, right."  
  
He smiled and gave her a large branch.  
  
"How about some practice. You and me. Lets see who's the best."  
  
She took the branch.  
  
"I'm not sure." She said looking at Ferio. He smiled at her.  
  
"It's like a favor. You'll help me a lot."  
  
Fuu smiled and nodded. Ferio took his position while she took hers.  
  
"No magic okay. You'll destroy me before I can even reach you."  
  
"No magic." She said.  
  
Ferio was the first to attack. She stopped the first blow and the second one. He jumped back.  
  
"Good defense." He said preparing again to attack. He jumped toward her. She jumped backwards evading his attack. She tried to attack him but he jumped back. He tried to disarm her but he couldn't. She was too fast. Ferio tried to jump and get away from her but she jumped too and hit his branch. She disarmed him and put her "sword" near his neck.  
  
"I believe I won this fight." She said smiling at him. He smiled back.  
  
"Oh, you think so." He said jumping backwards and kicking her branch of her hand. She tried to get it but he was fast enough to stop her form doing it. He grabbed her hand and pulled her to him. she looked up.  
  
"It's not fair. You didn't use your sword." She said trying to pull back, but he wouldn't let her. He smiled and got closer to her.  
  
"I'm a bard, not a soldier that keeps his word." He said smiling at him. She felt his breath too close. She blushed and again tried to pull back. Ferio smiled and let her go.  
  
"Even if you are a bard, you should keep your mans word." She said cleaning her dress. Ferio looked at her and smiled sitting on the ground.  
  
"Is that really important?"  
  
Fuu looked at him. "Well. It's important if you want people to trust you. How am I supposed to believe you'll help me if you don't sustain your word?" She said resting her body on a tree. He looked up at her.  
  
"You can make people trust you in other ways."  
  
She nodded. Ferio watched her. She had beaten him on a sword fight. He smiled, when he saw her the first time on prison he thought of her of a very fragile girl, completely inoffensive. Now he decided she could take care of herself, but there was something. Something that made him want to protect her. There was a weakness in her, and he needed to take care of her. He'd never wanted to protect someone for a very long time. Ferio decided that Fuu was different than the rest of the people of the whole world. He stood up and got near her.  
  
"I give you my word that I will protect you no matter what."  
  
Neither of them noticed the shadow beneath them. It saw the couple with Mokona and smiling it disappeared.  
  
"I've found them"  
  
Hikaru entered the small house in the outskirts of the town. She entered happily hopping into the kitchen.  
  
"Lantis! I'm here!" she said placing a basket with fruit in the table. Lantis appeared from the door. He smiled at the girl. She looked at him and ran to hug him.  
  
"Lantis! I'm so happy to see you!" "I'm happy to see you too. I was worried about you." He said kneeling in front of her. She looked with a confused face.  
  
"Worried? Why?"  
  
"Zagato said you should be careful."  
  
"Zagato?"  
  
"It must have to do with Mokona. He said that Alcyone has some issues with you."  
  
"Oh. She must be angry because I got Mokona back." She said looking at him, then she put an angry face.  
  
"But it was all her fault, she kidnapped Mokona in the first place!"  
  
Lantis smiled at her and nodded. She was right. However this bothered him. specially the fact that Zagato had warned him.  
  
"Don't worry Lantis. I defeated Alcyone with no trouble at all. I'll be fine"  
  
Lantis frowned. He knew Alcyone could be very vengeful.  
  
"I know you are very powerful Hikaru. But she must know now that you have magic and that you are not registered."  
  
"My older brother told me not to get registered. You also told me that it was the wisest thing to do."  
  
"Yes. But now she'll do anything to get you in jail." She smiled and hugged him.  
  
"Don't worry about me Lantis. I promise I'll be fine." She said giving him a huge smile.  
  
"Lantis. I wanted to ask you a favor."  
  
"Anything." He said standing up looking at the window. She looked at the windows and at the door. She spoke very quietly. "I need to rescue the princess form Kiam."  
  
Lantis looked at her puzzled.  
  
"Why do you want to do that?"  
  
"I...I found some new friends. Ascot, found them actually. Anyway...she is a sorceress form Kiam." Lantis looked at her.  
  
"The one that escaped?"  
  
She nodded. Lantis looked at her sternly.  
  
"Hikaru, I'm against this war, but she is still the enemy, she can hurt you or use you..."  
  
"No! She's a very nice person. She doesn't like the war either. She just wants to rescue princess Umi. They're friends. Almost...sisters." she said looking pleadingly at him.  
  
Lantis looked at Hikaru. He knew she could be very naive sometimes.  
  
"...I'll meet her. Then we'll decide what to do."  
  
Hikaru jumped and hugged her.  
  
"Thank you for giving her this chance!"  
  
Zagato knocked at the door. It was a pretty simple house in a silent street of the capital city of Forania. A gentle female voice answered.  
  
"It's me." He said.  
  
The door opened revealing a beautiful woman. She had blonde hair and blue eyes. She smiled at him, kissed him on the lips and let him in.  
  
"Zagato. Finally, it's been a while." She said closing the door. The man sat on a sofa in the living room.  
  
"I'm sorry. I just have to much work, specially with the war."  
  
The woman looked sadly at him.  
  
"You're still supporting that stupid war."  
  
Zagato nodded. The woman sat down and sighed.  
  
"I hate wars." She said.  
  
"Specially this one."  
  
Zagato looked at her and then at the paper he held.  
  
"King Stephen wants to found the secret place."  
  
The woman gasped and looked surprised at the man before her.  
  
"Cefiro?" she said.  
  
Zagato nodded.  
  
"Emeraude, I know you know how to get there." He said standing up.  
  
She looked away. And said nothing.  
  
"I need you to get out of this place." He said.  
  
"Why?" she asked.  
  
"Alcyone already found the creature Mokona. If she gets it, it'll lead them right to you."  
  
Emeraude looked at him.  
  
"Mokona. It's been found." She said not believing his words.  
  
"Yes. That's why you need to get out of here."  
  
Zagato got near her and hugged her. She hugged him back putting her head on his chest.  
  
"Where should I go?"  
  
Zagato got away from her and showed her the paper he had.  
  
"To Gornelia. I think your little brother needs some help."  
  
Emeraude looked at the paper. They were offering a reward for the two persons that escaped the prison. She looked at the name on it and gasped.  
  
"Ferio."  
  
Ascot got entered his house. He found Fuu reading anf Ferio sleeping. He smiled as Fuu said hello.  
  
"He enjoys sleeping eh?" he said looking at a very pleased Ferio. Fuu smiled and nodded.  
  
"He says that's one of his favorite things to do." She said closing the book and helping Ascot with the things he carried.  
  
Ascot smiled.  
  
"You two seem very close."  
  
Fuu blushed.  
  
"We barely know each other."  
  
"Does that really matter?" he asked putting the last things on the table.  
  
Fuu said nothing. Actually, she agreed with Ascot. He smiled and sat back on the chair.  
  
"You bought some food?" she said looking at all the things Ascot got.  
  
"Yeah. Well....um.. I thought that maybe we'll need food for the journey. I mean, Gornelia isn't far from the capital but still..."  
  
"I totally agree with you Ascot-san. It's better to be prepared for anything."  
  
Ascot smiled and sat down on a chair too.  
  
"Any news about our reward?" she asked.  
  
"The same. But I think that with the princess stuff they'll forget about it for a while."  
  
"I hope so."  
  
Suddenly the door opened and Hikaru entered with a very tall man. Fuu looked at him and at his armor. She stood up. Ferio woke up too.  
  
"This is Fuu-chan!" said Hikaru.  
  
"Fuu-chan, this is Lantis."  
  
Fuu vow. Ferio stood up and got close to Fuu. Lantis vowed too.  
  
"Nice to meet you." He said.  
  
"I'm Ferio."  
  
Lantis looked at Ferio and vowed at him too. Then he said hello to Ascot, who offered him a chair. Lantis sat down and looked at Fuu then at Ferio.  
  
"There's a reward on your heads."  
  
"We know." Said Ferio.  
  
Lantis looked at Fuu.  
  
"Why do you want to rescue the princess? And, what are you going to do when you get her?" he asked the blonde.  
  
Fuu looked at him.  
  
"Umi-san is like a sister to me. But more important, she is involve in this because of me. She must have gone to the battlefield to find me. I was captured....she must have thought that she could save me. What are we going to do after we rescue her?"  
  
Fuu thought for some seconds, then looked at Lantis and smiled.  
  
"I really don't know...But, I promise you, Lantis-san, that I don't want to have anything to do with the war."  
  
"Your country thinks the opposite." He said. She smiled. "Yes, unfortunately that's true."  
  
Lantis got quiet. Hikaru looked at him expectantly.  
  
"It'll be difficult. But there's a way." He finally said.  
  
Fuu looked surprised at him and vow in thanks. Ferio thanked him too. Ascot seemed to knew all the time he'd agree and Hikaru jumped with happiness on his lap. Even Mokona jumped happily.  
  
"That's high treason, Lantis." A female voice spoke from behind.  
  
Everyone looked at the person behind them. A woman with dark black hair and a staff was looking smiing at them.  
  
"It's over." She said.  
  
That's it...  
  
Hehehe... I think this is getting exiting. I hope you think the same.. anyway.. I swear I'll do my best and update next week... or maybe through this week... it depends on how many work I got....  
  
Hope you enjoyed it!!!  
  
Take care  
  
Kaze 


	7. Rescue

Hi everyone! I'm back with another chapter. I'm sorry, again I said I would update on a week, and here I am two weeks later. I'M REALLY SORRY! The thing is that I got sick and I had to do many projects to this last week, and well.... I didn't have the time.  
  
But here it is! I hope you like it.  
  
To all the people that has reviewed: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. Specially Marlene, I'm very glad you are liking the story that much.  
  
Well, I DON'T own Rayearth. But you already knew that ( jeje.  
  
The Quest  
  
Chapter 7: Rescue  
  
"It's over."  
  
The woman saw the five new friends with a big smile on her face. That smile not only showed happiness, but madness. Lantis saw the woman and stayed calm. Hikaru grabbed Mokona and held it tight. Fuu and Ferio got close.  
  
"What do you want? Alcyone." asked Lantis crossing his arms around his body.  
  
The woman kept smiling and a shadow appeared from behind her. It was a shadow, it had the shape of a human being, but it was definitely not a human. The shadow jumped and cast a spell. Its actions were so fast that none of them could prevent it. The wall of the tree house cracked open and all of them were outside in the forest. They were no very harmed by this. Alcyone laughed and the shadow positioned itself in front of its master.  
  
"You don't know?" the woman smirked.  
  
"Ah! Please Lantis, don't disappoint me. Or even better, don't fake."  
  
"Why do you want Mokona?" asked Hikaru standing up holding Mokona even tighter.  
  
Alcyone watched Hikaru and her smile suddenly disappeared. Her expression showed nothing but hate.  
  
"That's none of your business." She said approaching to her.  
  
Lantis soon reached Hikaru before Alcyone and as he did so he got his sword out. Alcyone stopped and watched Lantis. Her smile appeared again.  
  
"I can't harm Zagato-sama's little brother...move aside!"  
  
But Lantis wouldn't move. Alcyone got a step back.  
  
"Fine then, we'll have it your way. It's a shame though. You were one of our most brilliant Captains." She said moving backwards and letting the shadow walk towards them. Lantis swept his sword trying to cut the shadow in two. But the shadow was too fast. It got two scrolls of its body and a barrier suddenly appeared all around them.  
  
"What's this?" Ascot asked touching the barrier with his hand. He tried to pass the barrier but he couldn't.  
  
"A spell I found. Now, no one can use magic, except for myself of course." As she said so she cast a spell. Ice came of her hands and headed towards Hikaru.  
  
Hikaru jumped and skipped the attack. Everyone got closer, Ascot tried to cast a spell but he couldn't.  
  
"Were did you get those scrolls?" Lantis asked.  
  
"You know about these things? I'm impressed Lantis. I didn't think someone beside me would know about the existence of this odd scrolls."  
  
Lantis smiled.  
  
"Yes I know about this kind of scrolls. I know that you write on them the magic that you will not allow to be cast. So you must had written on them the magic spells of the ones that are registered and Hikaru's, since you lose the last time." Lantis found Fuu's eyes as he said this. Fuu got it. As a sorceress, Alcyone would be very difficult to defeat without magic. If a fight started, it was very probable that someone would get injured.  
  
Alcyone smiled again and motioned his shadow to attack Lantis. The shadow approached Lantis very fast, but Lantis stopped it with his sword.  
  
"Now!" he yelled as he tried to capture the shadow.  
  
Fuu cast a spell. Wind headed toward Alcyone. Alcyone was too surprised to do something about it, so it hit her. The shadow tried to help Alcyone but Lantis cut it as it tried to escape. Alcyone tried to stand up. She looked at Fuu. She hadn't seen her before. How could she have been so stupid. Fuu cast another spell on Alcyone, but this time the wind didn't attacked Alcyone, it wrapped around her not letting her do anything.  
  
"Y..you..." she tried to say, but she fainted. Fuu moved her inside the house. The scrolls had disappeared the moment the shadow was destroyed.  
  
"She'll be alright." Fuu said looking at Alcyone. She never meant to hurt anyone. But sometimes, there was no other choice. Ferio put his hand on her shoulder.  
  
"Don't feel bad, she would have killed us all if you didn't stop her." He said giving her a smile. She nodded. Hikaru watched Alcyone, she held Mokona on her arms.  
  
"Is Mokona that important?" she asked to herself out loud. "Important enough to actually risk your life?"  
  
Lantis watched Alcyone. It was a shame he couldn't ask more. 'I wonder, how in the world she got those scrolls?' he thought.  
  
Ascot looked at his house. No one was harmed. All of his friends were all right. But his house...  
  
"I'm terribly sorry, Ascot-kun." Hikaru said looking at his house.  
  
"It's all right Hikaru... I don't think I'll need it after we rescue the princess." He said grabbing the food he brought and putting it inside a bag.  
  
Fuu and Ferio watched at the mess. Nothing of this should have happened to someone like Ascot.  
  
"We should hide her." Lantis said looking up at the trees.  
  
Ascot got a little bottle, he opened it and made the unconscious Alcyone drink some.  
  
"This will have her asleep for one day." He said looking at Lantis.  
  
"That should be enough time for us to reach the capital and rescue the princess." Said Lantis. He started to walk. Hikaru walked by his side, Mokona on her arms.  
  
Fuu rose Alcyone on top of the trees, she couldn't be seen from the floor. She and Ferio started to walk behind them. Ascot watched his house one last time, then he followed his friends.  
  
It was already night when they reached the capital city. They hid in the forest that surrounded it. During the trip there was almost no talk. Lantis remained quiet all the time, Hikaru tried to make him speak, but it was useless, he would just smiled and continue walking. Ferio was also quiet all the way. Fuu didn't try to make him talk. They camped and only then Lantis spoke.  
  
"The only way to get the princess will be getting inside the Royal Tunnel." He finally said. Fuu was preparing something for dinner with Ascot's help.  
  
"Royal Tunnel? What's that?" asked Hikaru.  
  
"It's a shortcut, only high commanders know about it, obviously, only them can use it." Lantis answered.  
  
"But, if it's a shortcut...won't it be watched out all the time? And by lots of guards?" Ascot asked.  
  
"It is guarded by some guards, but not as many as one might think, since it's only for exclusive use, they are kind of reckless on its security." Lantis stood up.  
  
"I'll let you two in." he said pointing at Fuu and Ferio. "I'll tell them that you are there to make some investigations related to the security of the tunnel. They'll trust me. When we reach the point near the princess' prison, I'll stay to watch out. You two will go inside and will have to defeat the two guards that will be in the corridor, it will be very important that you don't make noise. You will have to return and we'll make it out as soon as possible, then we'll need to get to another place. Ascot and Hikaru should go to the city and find some horses, we'll meet at the exit of the city thirty minutes after we enter the tunnel."  
  
Everyone nodded.  
  
"Lantis-san, won't this bring big problems to you?" Fuu asked, she felt very guilty.  
  
"Yes, I'll certainly be considered a traitor. But there's nothing we can do now that Alcyone already knows it."  
  
Fuu looked nervously at Lantis. They didn't deserve this. She sat down and watched the fire. Lantis walked away. Hikaru followed him as they got lost inside the forest. Ascot didn't say a word; he just finished his dinner and went to sleep.  
  
Fuu and Ferio were left alone. Fuu watched Ferio, he seemed angry about something. She returned her gaze to the fire.  
  
"It's not your fault." He said not looking at her.  
  
"Ferio...I.. I think it is, it is my fault."  
  
Ferio looked at her and smiled.  
  
"It's not, they took their own decisions. They could have chosen other way, like not helping us. But they choose this path. They knew the consequences all along. So it's not your fault."  
  
Fuu looked at Ferio, she felt somehow he was right, but in the other hand she still felt guilty.  
  
"Are you all right Ferio? You seem, it's as if something is bothering you."  
  
He stood up and watched the fire.  
  
"....I felt useless back then."  
  
"Useless?"  
  
"Yes, you could do something, but I couldn't. Everyone knows magic, but I don't. If we are attacked by someone that uses magic...then, there's nothing I can do."  
  
"Ferio... there are other things that you can do..."  
  
"Fuu, don't. I'll get over it, don't worry about it." He smiled.  
  
"I... just don't like to see you sad." She blushed and turned around.  
  
Ferio smiled and got near her.  
  
"Don't worry, I'll really be fine. By the way..." he said taking something out of his pocket.  
  
He showed it to Fuu. It was something wrapped inside some dirty old clothes. He unwrapped it. It was a ring, a very simple ring, still; somehow it was very beautiful. Fuu looked at the ring, then to the earring he wore, she noticed they were the same.  
  
"Ferio, that's a very beautiful ring, it's the same you are wearing, right?"  
  
"Yes, this..." he said touching the earring. "...is the brother. I just wear one, the other one has always stayed in here."  
  
Ferio offered the ring to Fuu so she could see it. She watched it and saw a date inscribed on it."  
  
"You have them since you were very little." She said giving the ring back to Ferio.  
  
He took it and read the date, he remembered that day 12 years ago. He smiled.  
  
"It was a gift. A gift from my sister." He said looking at the ring.  
  
That was the first time Ferio mentioned someone from his family. Fuu looked at him and saw a change on his expression. He seemed a lot more serious.  
  
"She gave me this when I was eight. She told me not to lose them, to keep them. She said they are very important, that they even posses some magic." He smiled and looked at the sky.  
  
"I was very exited when she said they even had magic, it's been 12 years and nothing ever happened." He looked back at the ring.  
  
The he looked at Fuu, who was paying all her attention to him.  
  
"She always said that all human beings have a special person, someone in whom you can trust and would give your life for he or she gladly. She said we all have soul mates." He gave a small laugh.  
  
"I mocked at her and said that was nothing but bull shit."  
  
Fuu looked surprised at him, he started to seem angry. He looked at her and smiled.  
  
"But I took them anyway, she said that if I ever found that person, I should give one to her. I never understood why I never sold them or anything."  
  
"Perhaps because it is still a memory from her." Fuu said very quietly.  
  
Ferio smiled and nodded. He stood up and offered one hand to Fuu. She looked at him confused. She took his hand and he helped her get up. He looked at her and smiled while he placed the ring on her hand. She startled and looked at him, she was about to say something when he silenced her with his finger.  
  
"I've never believed in that stuff and I highly disagree with my sister, but still, I want you to have this."  
  
Fuu blushed and tried to protest.  
  
"Ferio... I.. I can't accept this, this is ....from your sister and I..."  
  
"Please. This is mine and I am free to give it to whomever I want." He smiled at her.  
  
"Maybe it does have special powers, you never know." He said smiling while he got back where he was sitting before.  
  
Fuu was still blushing, and didn't know what to say. Her heart was beating fast and for some reason her emotions where all moving around her body. She hesitated before returning to her place. Ferio watched her and smiled. He wouldn't admit it, but he felt that the special person his sister was talking about was Fuu. He smiled seeing her blushing.  
  
"Have I told you how cute you look when you blush?" he said noticing a brighter blush on her cheeks, he gave a small laugh.  
  
Fuu looked angry at Ferio, he really enjoyed doing that to her, but she smiled at him and sat on the floor.  
  
The next day, everyone was ready leave right before the sun appeared. Lantis explained the path they should follow. Mokona for some reason was happier than ever. Ascot looked better than the day before. Fuu was still a little bit embarrassed with Ferio. Hikaru and Lantis returned to the fire camp a few minutes after Fuu and Ferio finished talking. They gathered some fruits in the forest, which they used to accompany the food for the breakfast. They headed to the capital city. Ascot and Hikaru went to the city to find four horses. Ascot could summon a friend to do the job, while Lantis had his own horse, but the rest would need one.  
  
In that same moment, two people rode in the forest to the other way. Zagato and Emeraude headed to Gornelia. Emeraude saw her brother was on trouble, she knew that all of his life he's been in trouble, but this time, his head had a reward. It was time she found him.  
  
Lantis walked near a tree, it seemed like a normal tree until he tapped two times on its trunk. A voice came out of it and asked a question. Lantis answered it and suddenly the tree opened. Fuu notice it was all created with magic. A guard dressed in different outfit form the one Fuu knew appeared.  
  
"Welcome Lantis. What brings you here?" he said looking surprised at Fuu and Ferio.  
  
"I've come with the experts on security systems." He said pointing at the couple.  
  
"This is miss Tsubasa and mr. Nowura."  
  
Fuu and Ferio made a reverence. They were holding bag that had who knows what inside The guard looked at them and then at Lantis.  
  
"If you say so. Welcome, please this way."  
  
Fuu and Ferio looked at each other with faces of 'I can't believe it worked', and followed the guard, he was holding a torch since the inside was pretty dark. Lantis walked right after them. The guard didn't say much, but it seemed that he didn't quite trust them. Lantis on the other hand was as always. They walked through many corridors, until they reached a door.  
  
"I guess this is where the mayor problem is, that is the route from where the two prisoners escaped." He said looking closer at the couple, he made a strange face and got the fire near Ferio, like trying to have a better look at him. Ferio didn't move, not even flinched. He stayed normal and calmed.  
  
"Are you trying you burn my face?" he asked the guard with a very calmed voice. The guard startled and apologized.  
  
"It's that way." He said pointing to the door.  
  
"Thank you, I think I can guide them myself know." Lantis said walking through the door.  
  
Fuu and Ferio followed after thanking the guard. The guard looked at the three of them and left.  
  
They walked until Lantis motioned them to enter a door.  
  
"It's that way, the road will be clean until you reach another door. There will be two guards. They won't let you in even if you say I'm with you, you'll have to do something about them. I'll stay and stop anyone that wants to enter." He said very quietly. Fuu and Ferio nodded and walked inside the door.  
  
The way was clear as Lantis said, they didn't talk until they reached the last door.  
  
"It is better that we do this fast. How about that spell you cast on Alcyone?" Ferio said to Fuu.  
  
"That spell will not let them move, maybe I can stop them from yelling."  
  
"Roger." He said winking at Fuu.  
  
They opened the door and the two guards were there. Fuu was about to cast her spell when she froze. Ferio looked inside.  
  
"Unbelievable." She whispered.  
  
Ferio smiled and entered the room. The guards were sleeping.  
  
Fuu cast the spell and wrapped the two guards. Fuu and Ferio wrapped tha mouths of the guards at the same time very carefully. It was incredible, but they didn't wake up. Fuu approached to the door of the cell. Things were going to smoothly. Ferio got the key from one of the guards and opened the door. Fuu was about to stop him when something hit his head. Ferio was falling unconscious when Fuu caught him.  
  
"That's what you get for keeping me in here!" someone cried from the inside. Fuu looked at the person and smiled.  
  
It was a woman her age. Long blue hair fell down to her waist. She was very beautiful, blue eyes met green. The girl form the inside jumped when she saw the blonde.  
  
"FUU!" she yelled as she jumped to her friend.  
  
"I'm so happy to see you, I thought you were dead or something!" she said tears on her eyes.  
  
Fuu smiled, she was having a difficult time holding both Ferio and Umi.  
  
"I'm sorry I worried you, Umi-san."  
  
Fuu looked at Umi, she was holding a brick, that's how she hit Ferio. She suddenly saw again at the brick.  
  
"Oh goodness!" she said as she watched Ferio. He was bleeding. Umi hit him right on the head. Umi looked at Fuu and then at the brick. She let it drop.  
  
"Who is he?" she asked looking at his messy face.  
  
Fuu cast her healing spell on him.  
  
"This is Ferio, he was the one that save me from the prison. We came to rescue you, but it seems you didn't need help at all." She said looking back at the guards.  
  
Umi looked at them and smiled.  
  
"I gave them a sleeping potion, I couldn't stand been here anymore."  
  
Fuu smiled, she made sure Ferio was all right. She sighed as he started to regain consciousness. Umi looked at her friend and gave her a childish smile.  
  
"I'm sorry."  
  
"It's all right. You thought it was a guard."  
  
Ferio opened his eyes to see a very worried Fuu.  
  
"Are you all right Ferio?" she said helping him sit.  
  
He rubbed his head and nodded. Umi frowned.  
  
"Yeah. What hit me anyway?"  
  
"That would be me." Umi said smiling and walking in front of him.  
  
Ferio looked at her and guessed that was the famous Umi. He stood up.  
  
"Great! We came to rescue you and you hit us right on our heads!" he said out of his temper.  
  
"I'm sorry! I thought you were a guard! But that's what you get from entering like that!" she said anger on her words.  
  
Fuu looked at them and smiled.  
  
"Ferio, this is princess Umi. Umi-san, you already know Ferio."  
  
They said nothing, obviously they were mad at each other. Fuu sighed.  
  
"We have to get out of here. We really don't have much time." She said walking toward the door and grabbing the bag they were carrying.  
  
"Say that to your friend." Ferio said helping her with it.  
  
"I'm a princess you jerk! You can't talk to me like that!"  
  
Feiro rolled his eyes and opened the bag, it contained stuff from Ascot's house. The started to get them out. Umi looked at them.  
  
"How are we supposed to get out?" she asked rubbing her head.  
  
Ferio smiled and pointed at the bag.  
  
"Your highness will have to be inside this dirty bag." He said sarcastically.  
  
Umi looked at Fuu who nodded. Umi would have say something but she knew there wasn't other way.  
  
Lantis waited near the door. No one had asked him anything. But he was starting to feel nervous, they were taking too long. Finally the door opened to reveal Fuu and Ferio carrying a bag. Ferio had a unpleasant expression on his face.  
  
"Let's go." He said as he started walking.  
  
Getting out of the tunnel was even easier than getting in. There were few guards and no one asked anything. The guard that received them wasn't there when he left. And so they could reach the exit.  
  
Umi couldn't get out of the bag until they reached the cities exit. There were Hikaru and Ascot waiting with three horses.  
  
"What took you so long?" asked Ascot.  
  
"We were starting to be nervous."  
  
"We're sorry, the princess is too heavy." Said Ferio receiving a thumb form the bag.  
  
They went out the city and finally Umi could get off the bag. She was definitely angry and was about to punch Ferio again when she saw Hikaru, Lantis and Ascot.  
  
"This are Hikaru-san, Lantis-san and Ascot-san, they all helped me rescue you." Fuu said smiling at Umi.  
  
Lantis nodded. While Ascot for some strange reason was red as an apple. He barely could say hi and kept quiet. When he saw Umi, he saw the most beautiful woman ever. But there was more than that. He then felt all nervous. Umi approached him and smiled.  
  
"I can barely see your eyes." She said smiling at him. Ascot almost collapsed.  
  
Hikaru smiled and approached Umi, she was still holding Mokona who was jumping of happiness. Hikaru grabbed Umi's hand.  
  
"Nice to meet you Umi-chan! I'm glad you are all right, Fuu-chan was very worried about you." Umi smiled and nodded. Hikaru surely was a very nice girl. She hold Fuu's hand and was about to thank her when suddenly something happened.  
  
As soon as the three girls hands were together alight from Mokona's orb glittered yellow and a buubble of light covered the girls.  
  
Ferio jumped to get Fuu out of there but the ball rejected him. He stood up and cried his name. Lantis tried to hit the ball with his sword but it failed. Suddenly the light disappeared and the three girls were lying on the floor unconscious. Ferio ran to grab Fuu.  
  
"Fuu! Fuu! What heppened!"  
  
Lantis was holding Hikaru when he noticed Mokona. It was all right and its orb was red again.  
  
"What happened?" he asked the creature seriously.  
  
But Mokona would just Puued.  
  
"They are all right, just unconscious." Ascot said examining Umi.  
  
"We have to get out of here. But we can't go to any town or city." Lantis said looking at them.  
  
Ferio was holding Fuu. He had a strange expresion on his face. He hesitated and then turned to look at Lantis.  
  
"I know a place. But you won't like it."  
  
Finish! I hope you enjoyed this. This isn't a cliffhanger, right? Not like last time. Please review, tell me if you like the story and what would you do to improve it, if you don't like the story then please also tell me, but you must tell me why, okay.  
  
Well I was about to say I'll have next chapter next week...but, it's better if I say it'll be up soon, Okay, after all I have a whole week of vacations =)  
  
Take care  
  
kaze 


	8. Hideout

I know, I know.... I said soon.  
  
But here is the new chapter!!! Finally I found some time to write. Seriously, I was supposed to have one week of vacation and all I got was just more work to do.  
  
Anyway... bad news... it end of semester and that means just two things: Finals and final projects....  
  
This means that maybe I won't be able to update for some time.. I hope I can find some time to write but if not please be patient.  
  
I wanted to gave a very special thanks to Merlene: girl you always review!! That makes me very happy really!!! Thank you very much  
  
For all those who also update or just read this also thamks.  
  
Well hope you like it!!  
  
The Quest  
  
Chapter 8 Hideout  
  
"So he escaped." A man with white grayish hair watched the newspaper he hold on his hand. He turned to face a group of people and smiled widely.  
  
"Told you he was going to be all right." his smile was soft and everyone looked at him.  
  
"Yeah! But, where's he?" a woman with purple hair asked very worried. The man smiled and put a face of 'I have no idea'.  
  
"He'll come back, you'll see. After all, he has to deal with some issues with Eagle." A man with dark brown hair and a scar in form of an x on the chin said as he patted on the young man.  
  
Eagle smiled and nodded. The woman and many in the room stared at him furiously.  
  
"You didn't have to betray him in the first place!" she shouted.  
  
"It was for the well being of everyone here." He said keeping his smile and standing up.  
  
"Geo is right. He knows that, do not worry; he'll be back any moment now." He said as young boy entered the room running obviously very exited and terrified.  
  
"Eagle! Eagle! He's back! He's back! Ferio is back!" he said yelling at him.  
  
Eagle turned to watch everyone and smiles.  
  
"See? Thanks Zazu, tell him to come here, he must be starving."  
  
Zazu vowed but did not move. He watched at Eagle and then stammered.  
  
"He...he's not alone, Eagle."  
  
"Not alone?" Eagle and everybody turned to see Zazu.  
  
Zazu looked at everyone but especially to a calm thinking Eagle and a very furious Geo.  
  
"Y...yes, he comes with...two women and..."  
  
"Tell me there's not an 'and'..." Geo told to himself rubbing his head.  
  
"...and two men."  
  
Everyone started murmuring things. All were shocked by the news.  
  
"Has he gone crazy?! How can he bring strangers to our hideout?!"  
  
"Easy Geo, he must have some reason." Eagle patted on his friends shoulder.  
  
Zazu looked at him, a little bit afraid.  
  
"Um...Eagle...one of the men is...um a...a royal soldier."  
  
"WHAT!?" shouted Geo as he ran toward the door.  
  
Eagle watched him smiling and turned to Zazu.  
  
"Know he surely needs a very GOOD reason." He smiled and walked behind Geo. Zazu and the rest followed him while two men in the back whispered one to another.  
  
"Has Ferio gone mad? How can he bring a soldier to a thief's hideout?"  
  
"So... you are not just a mere bard. Are you?" Ascot whispered to Ferio as they walked behind Zazu through the aisle of the thieves' hideout.  
  
Ferio looked back at him and smiled. They were carrying the girls. They hadn't wakeup since they fainted on the woods. Mokona was bouncing behind them. Lantis occasionally looked at him as trying to figure out what happened. They needed to hide because the guards would notice the princess disappearance in a matter of time. Ferio guided them into a cave deep in the forest. Lantis knew where they were, for he has tried to capture these thieves for a long time. But now, he was just as them.  
  
Zazu received them very excitedly. It was obvious that he expected only Ferio, for he was very surprised to see everyone else. He didn't say a word until he left them in a room.  
  
"I'll tell Eagle that you are here." He smiled at them and vowed, then he left the room.  
  
Lantis suddenly looked at Zazu, but said nothing. They placed the girls on some beds. Ascot watched the decorations on the walls of the room. They were drawings made by children.  
  
"This is where we keep the children when we are working." Ferio told him.  
  
Ascot looked at all the drawings and then to Umi. She was sleeping peacefully. Ascot found out that he couldn't get his sight out of her. He blushed as he sat on a little chair.  
  
"Eagle...who is he?" He asked Ferio.  
  
Ferio looked at him and thought for some seconds.  
  
"He would be the chief here. He is the one that commands all of us."  
  
"But, you are not just thieves right? I mean, you are against the government."  
  
"Yeah, that's why some are here. But it has always been a thief's clan...for many generations." Ferio looked at Fuu. She was sweating. 'Bad dreams again.' He thought to himself.  
  
"Well. I think Eagle is taking to long. It'll be better if we take them to a more comfortable place."  
  
They took them and Ferio lead them to some rooms.  
  
"I'm pretty sure they are not in use. You should also rest, after all we haven't slept tightly.  
  
Ascot entered to the room next to the one of Lantis. Ferio entered to a room on the other side of the aisle.  
  
He entered and placed Fuu on the bed. It was a lot bigger than the other one. He sat next to her and cleaned the sweat on her forehead.  
  
"Why do you always have bad dreams?" he looked worried at her.  
  
"But more importantly, what the hell happened?"  
  
Ferio stayed there for a couple of minutes just watching her until she finally opened her eyes. Once again, gold met green. Fuu looked at Ferio and smiled.  
  
"Welcome back." He said as she rubbed her eyes and her head. She had a terrible headache but still she smiled.  
  
"Ferio, what happened?"  
  
"That's exactly what I want to know. What's the last you remember?" Fuu thought for some seconds, images trying to form in her mind. She recalled the rescue and having Umi safe. Then they were at the forest until...a light.  
  
"Fuu?" she looked at him. She remembered now, when she touched her friends' hands a bright light blinded her. The next she could remember was that awful dream that had haunted her for so long. But now, again, it was different and Fuu remembered the voice she heard this time: "You can't love him" Fuu looked into Feiro's eyes and smiled.  
  
"I...I believe I passed out." She smiled at him.  
  
Ferio raised one eyebrow and smiled.  
  
"I already noticed that. But what happened before?"  
  
"I remember being at the forest entrance when some light blinded me. The next I recall is being here.  
  
"What about those dreams of yours?"  
  
Fuu looked down to her lap. Pretend there where no dreams, wouldn't be wise. She knew very well Ferio had watched her sleep. In the other hand, she would very much like to share the dream with him, even though it meant nothing, it was something that tortured her.  
  
"It is not very important."  
  
"You can tell me." Ferio took her from the chin and looked at her eyes.  
  
"If it's nothing, then why do you suffer?"  
  
Fuu bit her lip.  
  
"I do not know, I barely understand it's meaning. But it does make me suffer."  
  
"Go on."  
  
"It's a little girl; she is running, trying to reach a house. There's someone waiting for her. But she can't reach the place. And suddenly the house bursts into flames. I believe it was because and explosion. Then someone is calling my name, and pleading to someone not to hurt me. And now..."  
  
Ferio had listened closely. He felt something was wrong, very wrong. He had listened to that story more than once.  
  
"And now Fuu?"  
  
"...and now, after all this years of being the same dream, it has changed. From the flames some shapes had appeared. I am not sure what are they, maybe a bird or a dragon, I am not sure. They even spoke to me and..."  
  
Fuu realized where she was leading the conversation. She stopped and looked away. Ferio watched her, there was more.  
  
"What did they say?"  
  
Fuu looked at him. For some reason she didn't want to lie to him, But she couldn't tell him what the clouds of the explosion told her this time. She felt hole not only in her stomach, but also in her heart. Why would her dream tell something like that? Why couldn't she love him? And then she questioned herself. Love him? That would be silly, she just met him. But somehow she felt she had already accepted it. Ferio watched her. He knew she wouldn't tell him. The fact made him angry. He thought she would tell him everything. But still tried to understand and smiled at her. She was about to say something but he stopped her.  
  
"I'll prefer to hear the truth some other time that a lie right now."  
  
Fuu felt her heart beat faster and faster. She was going to tell him it wasn't something important, a lie after all. But he was right.  
  
"I am sorry Ferio. I just can't...."  
  
"Trust me that much just yet?"  
  
"It's not that! It's something different..."  
  
"It's alright Fuu, I understand it."  
  
She was certain he didn't but said nothing. They were silent for some seconds. They felt uncomfortable, the silence was heavy. Fuu then realized she didn't know where they were.  
  
"So...where are we?"  
  
Ferio didn't look at her.  
  
"A thief's hideout. This is where I used to live."  
  
"Thieves?"  
  
Ferio looked at her and smiled. He had after all hidden his truth.  
  
"I am not just a bard. Actually I am more a filthy thief than anything else."  
  
Fuu looked at him. He was a thief. That could explain lots of things. Like how they escaped the prison. Ferio stood up and headed to the door.  
  
"I can understand it if you don't trust me." He said as he left the room.  
  
Fuu watched him go. She stood up and followed him.  
  
Lantis opened the door and Mokona followed him. He placed Hikaru on the bed. He watched her standing in front of the bed. Mokona bounced on Hikaru's bed and looked at Lantis. He noticed it was worried but at the same time it watched him telling him everything was all right.  
  
"Are you sure?" he asked as the creature jumped to his arms and nodded happily.  
  
Lantis gave it a small smile and he rested his body on the wall. But as relieved as Mokona made him, he still wondered what happened, and why. Hikaru woke up and Lantis felt very relieved. She watched him puzzled.  
  
"What happened Lantis?"  
  
"You fainted."  
  
Hikaru looked around them and remembered the light and the strange dream. She then jumped of her bed. Lantis hold her before she fell on the ground.  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"In the dream I had...it said something about you."  
  
"About me? What?"  
  
"It was a strange creature...I'm not sure what it was. Anyway, it told me not to love you."  
  
Lantis looked impressed at Hikaru. She suddenly hugged him.  
  
"Why can't I love Lantis? I asked... but it wouldn't answer."  
  
"It's just a dream, Hikaru."  
  
Hikaru looked into his eyes. She was serious and he could tell she wasn't taking this lightly.  
  
"No. It wasn't"  
  
They heard some voices in the aisle. Lantis and HIkaru got of the room. There was Zazu discussing with a tall man. Lantis watched him, he knew very well that man.  
  
"I'm telling you I left them in the children's room, they must..." Zazu stopped as he saw Eagle watching behind him. He turned around and so Lantis and Hikaru. She had a puzzled face while he was staring right at Eagle.  
  
Eagle walked toward them. When he reached them he smiled and stretched his hand.  
  
"Long time no see, Lantis."  
  
Lantis shook his hand but would still look serious.  
  
"Yes, Eagle."  
  
Hikaru watched them she was all puzzled and had no clue of what was going on.  
  
"Where are we Lantis? And, who is he?"  
  
Eagle looked at Hikaru and smiled. He looked for something inside one of his pants pockets and gave it to her.  
  
"My name's Eagle Vision. And this is for you."  
  
Hikaru took the present, it was a candy. She smiled.  
  
"I'm Hikaru Shidou. Nice to meet you, Eagle-kun."  
  
Lantis stood still saying nothing.  
  
Ascot heard the voices out the room. The princess hadn't woke up. He decided to stay. She seemed to be having a bad dream. He had already tried to awake her but it was useless. He sighed and watched her. She was very beautiful. The most beautiful woman he had ever seen. But she was a princess. Ascot touched his heart and groaned.  
  
"Why me? Why with her?" he whispered to himself.  
  
Just then she moved a little. Her lips were about to say something. Ascot was about to try to wake her up but a word came of her mouth.  
  
"...Clef..."  
  
Ascot watched her as he felt like falling from a very high mountain.  
  
"Fool." He said.  
  
Emeraude looked at the glass of water on the table. She was at a restaurant waiting. She felt very uneasy. She knew Ferio had always gotten into trouble ever since they got separated. But now he had gone just too far. He escaped with a soldier from Kiam. He helped her and now...  
  
"Ferio..." she whispered.  
  
She felt guilty. After all, after their parents' death she was supposed to be responsible for him. But she failed. She just hoped she could help him somehow.  
  
"He is nowhere to be found."  
  
Emeraude looked at the man that arrived.  
  
"Zagato. Are you sure he is not here?"  
  
He nodded.  
  
"I went to all the places that leaded to him. Someone told me about a young man that has a house in the forest. They said he bought a lot of food. Alcyone went to that same house looking for someone. I found her. But she is still unconscious but she said something about a woman with different magic. I believe Ferio has something to do with them. This woman can be the sorceress that escaped."  
  
"Why was Alcyone looking for that man?"  
  
"She was looking for Mokona."  
  
Emeraude gasped.  
  
"But they ran away. Ferio must be with them." He smile. "If that's so, then he is with Mokona. If we find them we will have them both."  
  
Emeraude looked at him worried.  
  
"But where could they..."  
  
She was interrupted by one solider that approached to Zagato.  
  
"General. Sir, I have bad news sir."  
  
Zagato motioned him to continue.  
  
"Sir...the princess of Kiam. She's escaped."  
  
Zagato and Emeraude looked at each other, this was no coincidence.  
  
Fuu and Ferio walked through the aisles, they were alone. Ferio thought that as unusual. But he kept walking anyway.  
  
Fuu walked behind him not saying a word.  
  
Ferio was angry. But he couldn't stand the situation.  
  
"Ferio...I can tell you what the monster told me."  
  
Ferio stopped and turned to watch her.  
  
"You don't need to."  
  
"But you think I don't trust you."  
  
Ferio looked at her. She was still all concerned about that. She hadn't even said a word about he being a thief. He smiled.  
  
"No. I don't think that anymore."  
  
Fuu sighed and smiled. Ferio gave a small laugh.  
  
"Fuu, tell me please, how's the girl from your dream."  
  
Fuu looked at Ferio not understanding his question but she tried to focus the girl. She couldn't remember her all well.  
  
"I am not sure...I think she has blonde hair. Why?"  
  
Ferio thought for some seconds before he answered.  
  
"Because I've heard a similar story before."  
  
"From whom?"  
  
"From my sister. That's what happened the day my parents died."  
  
Well.... It's all, please take care  
  
Kaze 


	9. Dreams

I'm back!! Yes, I bet many thought I was never going to return, hehehe.  
  
Finals are over... I'm on vacation... and I couldn't be happier. I approved all my subjects and I'm going to Cancun next week... (not that I want to presume 8P) well , those are pretty good reasons for being this happy!!!  
  
Anyway... about the story.. well this is a Fuu/Ferio fic.. but I tried to make all the characters appear and have important parts in the story... I think that's going well... however.. I may write more about F/F relationship from now on.. at least until I feel I made my point.. (which I am not sure I know...) if you think that the story might go better if I just keep it the same please tell me.. of course any suggestions about my writing or anything are accepted.. as always.  
  
heheh.. well, there are many surprises awaiting in the next chaps. Like... Umi's life and loves...what's going on between Lantis and Eagle... more about Zagato and Emeraude and of course the plot and the enemy and MOKONA's important part...  
  
Well, thanks to all those who read this and to all those who review. I really hope you like this... I hope there's still someone reading this (o o).  
  
Well here it is...........  
  
The Quest  
  
Chapter 9 Dreams  
  
"My parents died inside my house when it burst into flames. My sister told me it was never an accident. There was someone, someone there. But she could never tell me whom. She told me she was running all the way home when the house went into flames." Ferio was sitting in a chair. He and Fuu arrived at the kitchen and stayed there to talk.  
  
"She said she ran and ran until she got close. She only found me, lying on the floor. I was like two or so."  
  
Fuu looked at Ferio. It was indeed like her dream. The girl running to the house, then it bursting in flames, and someone there. Fuu thought for some seconds. It all had to be coincidence. Her mind tried to search for logical reasons for her having such a dream, but she found nothing. Ferio looked at the confused sorceress.  
  
"Don't try to hard." He said giving her a glass with water. Fuu took it and smiled.  
  
"I can't find a reason... it's too strange." Fuu rubbed her eyes. She felt tired for no reason. She had rested more than enough, but still her eyes were demanding some sleep.  
  
Ferio looked at her and wondered why the dream was just like the accident of his parents. Just as Fuu was about to ask Ferio about his sister, a very tall man entered the kitchen.  
  
"There you are!" he said walking toward Ferio, the man didn't even bother to look at Fuu, he seemed pretty angered. Ferio jumped of the chair and smiled.  
  
"Geo! How are you man?" he said, but Geo had already got him from the throat.  
  
"You little bastard! What's your problem bringing strangers to OUR hideout!" he said almost in despair.  
  
Ferio tried to speak but it was useless. Geo looked at him, disbelief in his eyes.  
  
"And you brought a guard! A ROYAL guard!" he said as he started to lose control of his hands. He started trembling and let Ferio go.  
  
Fuu helped Ferio, but he was smiling.  
  
"I'm sorry man. I didn't meant to scare you."  
  
Geo looked at him a vain starting to jump on his forehead.  
  
"Scare? Ferio, it's against laws to bring strangers. It's even worst when the stranger is a guard. What if he turns all of us to the police?!"  
  
Ferio watched him as he let go a small laugh.  
  
"It's okay. Lantis would not turn us to the authorities."  
  
"How are you so sure?" asked Geo, this time more calm.  
  
"He is a friend. he would never betray us."  
  
"You think a royal guard will protect our little secret, after all the time they had expended hunting us?"  
  
Ferio nodded contently. Fuu watched him. He truly trusted Lantis. She found that difficult to believe. She knew better than that. Ferio was used to betrayals and lies. He liked Lantis, and was sure he would help them until Hikaru was safe. However, Ferio would always be on guard. Fuu could see that on Ferio. Geo couldn't, Ferio's words seemed to make effect and the tall man was now breathing easily. Geo sighed and cleaned some sweat on his forehead. The clan meant everything to him, a family, it was all he had. The idea of Lantis doing something to them had make him nervous, furious and sad. But now Ferio was telling him to trust. Geo smiled and hit Ferio lightly on his arm. He then saw Fuu.  
  
"Um.. I'm sorry..." he said jumping nervously.  
  
"...I didn't see you." He said stammering. Fuu gave a small smile.  
  
"It's fine, do not worry. My name is Fuu Hououji, nice to meet you." She said giving a small reverence.  
  
Geo blushed and gave a small reverence too.  
  
"I'm Geo Metro... nice to meet you." He said. "I'm the third commandant of our thieves clan." He continued proudly.  
  
Fuu smiled and turned to Ferio. He smiled back.  
  
"I would be the second..." he said looking at the door.  
  
"An that would be our first." He said pointing at Eagle, who stood at the door.  
  
"Fuu, I want to introduce you to Eagle Vision, our leader." Ferio said as he sit again on the chair.  
  
Fuu looked at Eagle, he was tall, but not as tall as Geo. She smiled and inclined her head in respect.  
  
"This is Fuu Hououji, a sorceress from Kiam." Ferio said this not even looking at Eagle.  
  
"Nice to meet you miss Hououji. I believe you've already met Geo."  
  
"Yes, Eagle, we've already met." Said Geo walking toward the chief.  
  
Emeraude walked with Zagato through the crowded city. The Kiam's princess was gone. All the guards were looking for her. All the clues lead to Ferio and the sorceress from the same country. Emeraude knew perfectly well how hard it was to capture Ferio, but still, she got very worried. Zagato looked at her stern face.  
  
"He'll be fine." He said stopping his walk.  
  
Emeraude looked at him and then at the sun disappearing behind the mountains.  
  
"No, he isn't. Things are getting of our hands."  
  
Zagato knew what she meant. Not only Mokona was in hands of her brother, but he was friend of the sorceress, which must had been the principal reason for rescuing the princess. What would Ferio won on allying the enemy was a question Zagato made frequently. But there was more. He had interrogated Alcyone. And the news became even worse. Lantis, his brother, had allied them too, he was, of course, with the red head and a summoner was with the group too.  
  
Zagato looked at Emeraude. The actual reasons for this awkward group's participants was still a mystery.  
  
"We need to find Mokona before anyone finds it." He said as he took the blonde's hand and started walking.  
  
"What if someone makes Alcyone speak?" she asked.  
  
"That would not happen. My spell is unvanquishable, no one but you or myself can dispel it." He said still walking.  
  
"What if there's someone even more powerful than us?"  
  
Zagato smiled. "That's not possible."  
  
King Stephen sat on his throne looking at the mirror in front of him. He smiled as he saw the couple walking through the streets. A shadow appeared form behind.  
  
"So, it's all about a boy and his bunch of miserable friends." His voice was soar and he gave a wicked smile.  
  
The shadow appeared now in front of the king.  
  
"Still, they don't know were those bastards are. Better to keep an eye on this couple." He drank some wine and looked menacingly at the shadow.  
  
"You better find them first." With that, the shadow disappeared.  
  
Fuu and Ferio watched their friends having a great dinner at the dinner room of the thieves' hideout. Umi had awoken a few minutes before, she didn't look in the mood of anything, but Eagle manage to convince everyone to have a dinner to commemorate Ferio's arrival. Hikaru and Ascot ate a lot, they seemed to be having a great time. However, Lantis was serious and all the time watched Eagle. Umi, although was smiling and was been treated as a princess, looked worried about something. Fuu could tell what it was.

Flashback

"I told him how I felt." Umi smiled at Fuu, they were having tea at the princess's bedroom.  
  
"You... really?" the blonde asked not believing her ears.  
  
"Yes." The princess manage to say before turning around giving her friend her back.  
  
Fuu looked at Umi. She stayed still for a couple of minutes. She could see a tear falling from her friend's cheek.  
  
"Umi-san.. I..."  
  
"Don't worry Fuu." She said turning around cleaning some tears.  
  
"He... he was nice. As he always is..." Umi looked at the delicate palace floor and forced a new smile.  
  
"He said we..."  
  
"Excuse me your highness." Umi stopped and looked to the person that just interrupted her. It was a servant messenger, he was carrying a letter with Kiams emblem.  
  
"What is it?" the princess said looking obviously angered. The servant made a reverence and extended the letter to Fuu.  
  
"A letter for lady Hououji, your Highness."

(End of flash back)  
Fuu looked at Umi. She was eating her dinner and was absolutely absent of the world.  
  
"Aren't you hungry?" asked Ferio pointing at Fuu's plate. It was full.  
  
"No...I am not that hungry." She said looking at him, she was actually very tired. Ferio frowned.  
  
"It's not healthy..."  
  
"I know. It would be just this time." Ferio looked at her for some seconds then smiled.  
  
"Then you won't be bothered if I eat those, right?" his smile as big as ever. Fuu giggled and offered the plate to her companion.  
  
That night had a strange mood for Fuu. Eagle and Lantis were two difficult characters. They were serious and at the same time they were like others during some times. Hikaru on the other hand was very happy to be with Fuu and Umi, and enjoyed very much their talks. Ascot was all taken aback every time Umi spoke to him and Ferio would look her all the time, except for those little moments where he looked at Eagle.  
  
That night, when everyone was asleep, the dreams of the three girls were haunted again by that strange dream, and in the darkness, many miles away, a blur of dark light emerged from the ashes of what once was a beautiful house.  
  
Fuu woke up sweating as always. Her head ached a lot and some tears were on her cheeks. She looked around her. Umi and Hikaru were sleeping. They decided to sleep together. She saw that they were having bad dreams too. She was about to wake them, when someone knocked the door.  
  
Fuu stood up and walked toward the door silently. She opened the door and gasped as she saw Ferio smiling at her.  
  
"F...Ferio?" she said very quietly.  
  
The green haired young man smiled.  
  
"Were you expecting someone else?" he asked teasingly.  
  
Fuu blushed and waved her head as in no.  
  
"What are you doing here?" she asked looking back at her friends.  
  
"I couldn't sleep. And since you are always having that nightmare I thought that maybe you would be awake."  
  
Fuu smiled and got off the room. She closed the door carefully behind her.  
  
"I just woke up." She said looking at the lonely corridor. She felt nervous as a chill air rose through her body.  
  
"Did it changed?" he asked.  
  
Fuu looked at his eyes. It changed. It definitely changed. Fuu didn't want to lie again, and still.  
  
"It changed." Ferio affirmed.  
  
Fuu nodded. She started playing with her hands. Ferio looked at her and wondered what was that she couldn't tell.  
  
"We are leaving tomorrow." He said.  
  
Fuu looked at him not understanding. He was at home, why leave so soon.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"We have to get to your country as soon as possible. We are not safe here."  
  
"What about your friends... it will be very difficult to return after we cross the frontier." Fuu looked worried at him. She was afraid he'd say he wasn't coming to Kiam, with her.  
  
"I don't care a damn about this place. And I told you I would get you there." He said looking at the ceiling. He was sad.  
  
There was silence for a long time.  
  
"Are you sure?" she asked playing nervously with her hands.  
  
"Yes. I won't get back, ever. I may even stay with you forever." He smiled and got closer to Fuu. She blushed as soon as he finished his sentence. The blush redden when she felt his touch and breath too close.  
  
"Ferio... I..." she tried to say.  
  
"You don't want me there?" he asked not getting away.  
  
"No! It...is not ...that." She said not looking at him. He smiled and started wondering how far could he get this time. She always got nervous when he was close, and he had been trying to talk to her for some time. But not about the princess or Kiam or the war, not even about the dream. Talk about them.  
  
"Fuu...would you like me to go with you?"  
  
Fuu looked at him. Yes. She wanted him to go, she wanted to be near him, she would have said yes, but...  
  
"You can not love him. You have a task to accomplish, a task that will take your life, a task that will require all the strength of you heart..."  
  
Fuu gasped. She could hear the voice of her dream inside her head. Ferio hold her.  
  
"Fuu, are you alright?" he asked holding her. Fuu felt a deep pain inside her head and then her heart. An image appeared in her head.. blood, screams, blood...  
  
"NO!!!!" she yelled holding her head. She got to the floor and closed her eyes tightly. Ferio grabbed her and hugged her not knowing what was going on.  
  
"Fuu, please, what's going on." He said desperate for not being able to do a thing.  
  
The pain suddenly disappeared and Fuu could open her eyes once again. Ferio was there looking into her eyes. She's never seen him that worried.  
  
"Are you alright Fuu?" he said caressing her head.  
  
Fuu nodded as some tears escaped form her eyes. Ferio cleaned them and hugged her.  
  
"Do not lie!" he said hiding his face into her hair.


	10. Betrayal

Me again... well. Another chapter up. Wow! I can't believe I've made it this far! TEN CHAPTERS:.... Well, do not worry, the story won't take long, heheh.  
  
Well...I wanted to thank Marlene.... Because you are always reviewing, that makes me very happy!!!!!!!!!  
  
About your questions... well I may not have been very clear... but the letter that the messenger gave Fuu was actually the one that requested her to go to the war.. the talk Umi and Fuu had last chapter about Clef was actually a flashback....heheh 8D I'll make a note on the chap so no one else gets confused... and about the KISS:... well I shouldn't say a thing.. but well....  
  
It's already written... and it's not going to be as sweet as you might think...BUT it's really going to be good, really (I am not being mean with Fuu).  
  
Anyway.... I hope all your questions are answered...so, on with the fic...  
  
(CLAMP owns RAYEARTH)  
  
The Quest  
  
Chapter 10 Betrayal  
  
"What is going on?" asked Umi as she hurried of the room. She saw Fuu lying on the floor, Ferio was hugging her. She kneeled to see Fuu and got Ferio off the way.  
  
"Fuu?! What happened?" she asked very worried. Ferio looked at the two friends. He gave two steps back. Fuu just smiled.  
  
"I am sorry Umi-san, I didn't meant to scare you. I just... had a bad dream."  
  
Umi rose an eyebrow and looked at Fuu.  
  
"A dream? Outside?"  
  
"No. I had it inside but then I... "she stopped and watched Ferio. He looked to the other side of the room. Umi noticed this.  
  
"I'll go get a glass of water for you." He said, his tone serious. Ferio left the girls and Fuu watched him go. She looked at her hands again. She managed to hold her tears, since there was Umi. Umi looked at the two of them.  
  
"What really happened?" she asked helping her friend stand.  
  
"I have been having a dream..." she said not looking at her.  
  
"You too?" Umi said interrupting her. Fuu looked at her bewildered.  
  
"Is it about a girl?" the princess asked.  
  
Fuu looked very surprised. She never expected her friend been having the same dream. She nodded not knowing what to say.  
  
"So... what does it has to do with yelling and that guy?" she asked opening the door.  
  
When they entered, they found Hikaru completely asleep, so was Mokona.  
  
"I can't believe she didn't awoke!" Umi said looking at Hikaru. Fuu smiled. It was good, she didn't want to worry Hikaru too.  
  
"So... it is the same dream." Umi said looking at Fuu.  
  
"Maybe..." Fuu wasn't looking at her. "Does it has a house?"  
  
"In flames? Yes."  
  
"Then it is the same." Fuu looked at Umi. She couldn't believe it.  
  
Umi looked sad. She hold Fuu's hand.  
  
"Why did you yelled? Did Ferio did something to you? Because if he..."  
  
"No. Umi-san, Ferio did nothing to me."  
  
Umi sighed relieved. She would had killed him if he had done something. "I...heard a voice... the voice from the dream." Fuu looked at Hikaru, she was sleeping peacefully now.  
  
Umi forced a smile.  
  
"What did it say?"  
  
Fuu didn't answer.  
  
"They tell me continuously not to love him." the princess said looking at her friend. Fuu looked at her.  
  
"It told you not to love Clef –sama?" she asked very confused.  
  
Umi smiled.  
  
"No. They never say his name. But, since I..." Umi looked at the window and stood up.  
  
"Since when are you having this dream Umi-san?"  
  
"Since yesterday. Why?"  
  
Fuu looked again at her hands. 'Yesterday? But, then why have I dreamt this for years?' she asked to herself. ´Could this be related to the light?'  
  
"Fuu? Are you really feeling alright?"  
  
Fuu smiled. But said no.  
  
"I... heard the voice in my head when I was awake. And it was accompanied by a very painful headache and some images." She said. "That is why I yelled."  
  
Umi looked at Fuu.  
  
"I haven't heard it in my head." She said thinking. "What did it tell?"  
  
Fuu looked at Umi. The princess understood she wasn't telling. In that same moment Ferio entered the room with a glass of water and some food. He walked toward Fuu, who was sitting on her bed.  
  
"Here, I brought you some food. You didn't eat a thing at dinner. Perhaps that's what happened." He said leaving the food on the table next to the bed.  
  
"Thank you." Fuu said not looking at him.  
  
"Do you need anything else?" he said walking toward the door.  
  
"No. I think I will be fine, thank you." Fuu wasn't looking at him either.  
  
With that Ferio left the room and closed the door. Umi stayed watching the door.  
  
"What was all that about?" she asked as she sat on the bed next to Fuu.  
  
Fuu didn't answer again. In that moment Hikaru woke up and looked at her friends. Some tears were on her eyes.  
  
"Are you alright Hikaru-san?" Fuu asked as she got near Hikaru's bed.  
  
Hikaru nodded. "It was just a dream." She said looking at Fuu.  
  
"What dream?" asked Umi looking seriously at Fuu.  
  
Hikaru looked puzzled.  
  
"About a girl, her house was set on fire and some creature spoke to me..." she said trying to recall everything.  
  
Umi and Fuu looked at each other. This was definitely too strange.  
  
"What is it girls?" Hikaru asked even more puzzled.  
  
"We are having the same dream Hikaru. Since when do you have it?" Umi said.  
  
"Since we fainted. Yesterday." She said standing up.  
  
"The same dream at the same time..." Umi said.  
  
"No." Fuu said looking nervous. Umi and Hikaru looked at her.  
  
"I have been having this dream for a very long time now... years."  
  
Umi and Hikaru looked at Fuu.  
  
"Years?" Umi uttered.  
  
"Yes. But it was different. There wasn't a creature before, before yesterday."  
  
Ferio walked through the corridors of the hideout. He was angry. Fuu wasn't telling him everything. It was her life, she was free to tell whoever she wanted what was going on... and still it made him anger. She was not having trust in him, not in that matter. And he wondered for many minutes why. He entered to the children's room. That was one of his favorite places. He liked kids, and he liked the way they looked at life. He sat on a little chair and grabbed his head.  
  
"Why? Why Fuu?" he looked at the floor. There was no answer. He felt stupid. He was always free. He had always loved adventures, he has always liked to be a loner. But in that moment, he felt a terrible sorrow through his body.  
  
"Why, hello Ferio." A voice came form behind.  
  
Ferio looked back and saw the familiar shadow.  
  
"Eagle... what do you want?" he asked in a bad mood.  
  
"I was wondering what you were doing here, at night. I thought you enjoyed sleeping." He said smiling and sitting by his side.  
  
"I am not tired." "You don't sleep because you need it. You sleep because you like it." Eagle said giving a small laugh.  
  
Ferio didn't find that funny. He was still mad at Eagle.  
  
"I better get going then." Ferio said standing up and walking toward the door.  
  
"I heard you are leaving." Eagle said. Ferio stopped.  
  
"You better not be spying on me Eagle." He said looking menacingly at his leader.  
  
"I am not spying. I am doing my job by protecting the clan. Thing that you are obviously not doing."  
  
Ferio smiled. Eagle and him had been friends for a very long time. They had always talked about protecting the clan. However, Ferio had always make himself clear, he would always care only on him.  
  
"Well, then you won't mind if we leave as soon as possible."  
  
"The thing is, I can not trust your friends. Lantis is a guard, I know him and I know that by protecting our country, he'll do anything."  
  
Ferio smiled. "So Lantis is THAT guard." Eagle smiled back.  
  
"Yes. But you are getting off subject. We have enemies inside our hideout. That friend of yours and the princess, no matter if they are good persons, they are form Kiam. And Kiam is in war with us."  
  
Ferio rolled his eyes.  
  
"Ferio... I can't let them go. They'll endanger our clan." Eagle said calmly.  
  
Ferio frowned. Eagle was not going to interfere with his plans.  
  
"You owe me one Eagle. And you know the thieves rules." He said this time a bit more serious.  
  
Eagle looked at Ferio.  
  
"Yes, you are right. I owe you, but are you really going to lose this opportunity by saving those?"  
  
If a thief betrays another thief, then the betrayed one has the right to ask ANYTHING from the traitor. Anything meant anything, Ferio had the right to ask anything form Eagle. Eagle would had swear that his friend would ask for some money, or be fed forever even if he did nothing, a house maybe. Ferio would never ask for something for someone. At least, the Ferio he knew.  
  
"My request is that you leave all of us, and I mean Fuu, the princess, Hikaru, Lantis, Ascot and myself, to leave this place with six horses without problem and that you won't, by any means, follow us or betray me again." Ferio said smiling noting the surprise his request made Eagle.  
  
Eagle looked at Ferio. "Are you serious?" he managed to ask.  
  
Ferio nodded.  
  
"Why?" the thieves leader asked.  
  
"That would be none of your business, my friend." Ferio said as he turned around.  
  
"It is that girl, Fuu." Eagle said stopping Ferio again.  
  
"You've never cared for someone." Eagle said. "But now, you are helping her. Why?"  
  
"Because she is different." Ferio said leaving Eagle alone.  
  
Eagle sat down on one of the little chairs. He couldn't believe Ferio's change. He smiled. Perhaps that was good for him, after all, Eagle has always thought that Ferio was not happy.  
  
"So, are you really letting us go?"  
  
Eagle turned to see Lantis hidden in the shadows. Eagle smiled and motioned Lantis to join him in a little chair. The tall man walked beside Eagle but stayed standing, maybe because he couldn't fit in any chair.  
  
"I don't think so." Eagle said looking smiling at Lantis.  
  
"I thought so." Lantis said. "What did you do to Ferio?"  
  
Eagle smiled and looked at the door where Ferio was some minutes before.  
  
"I got him into a trap, so he could be caught by you guys." He said now looking at Lantis.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because we needed to distract you. You, as you now can see, were getting too close to find us."  
  
Lantis said nothing.  
  
"I had to protect the clan." Eagle said fixing his eyes into Lantis'. "As I have to protect it now that you are here."  
  
"So, you are not going to fulfill your promise to Ferio."  
  
Eagle nodded. "Are you going to try to escape?" Eagle asked looking more intensely into Lantis' eyes.  
  
Lantis just stayed there.  
  
"You'll have to fight me." Eagle said as he stood up and walked out the room. Lantis was now alone.  
  
"Eagle."  
  
Fuu walked alone through the corridors of the hideout, she was definitely lost. She left Umi and Hikaru thinking. She had to find Ferio. She knew he was angry. He would probably think she doesn't trust him, but it was different. How was she supposed to tell him that the creature told her not to love HIM. How was she supposed to tell him that she saw him die. Some tears fell form her eyes at the thought. The creature had told her not to love him, but she was not going to listen to it.  
  
Umi and Hikaru had asked why she was leaving, but she just said she was going to the bathroom. She hated it, she hated to lie to her fiends. But she was not prepared to tell them what she was feeling.  
  
Fuu was now walking through the halls when she heard some noises. She stopped in front of a door. Some people were talking inside. She decided to enter and ask if Ferio was there or had been there. She was about to knock the door when someone inside told her name.  
  
"Why is Ferio helping those guys, Fuu and whatever." A woman said in an angered tone.  
  
"He made friends with them. Maybe he just wants to help." Another woman said.  
  
"No, that's not like Ferio. He must definitely owe something." A man said.  
  
"Yeah, perhaps they helped him someway and now he is just paying back." Another man said.  
  
"Risking US?!" the first woman replied.  
  
"Well, that's Ferio, you know he cares for no one." The man said.  
  
Fuu didn't knock, it was not right to be hearing that conversation. She started walking, maybe she would find Ferio soon. The thieves were obviously angry at Ferio. He endangered them. Fuu felt it was her fault again. Still, they were taking of Ferio as if he was a different person. 'Paying back?´ she thought. She hasn't done anything to make him owe something to her. It was the other way around.  
  
She walked for some more minutes until she spotted him. He was sitting in the floor near a strange door. Fuu took a deep breath and walked toward him.  
  
Ferio heard some footsteps and looked up. It was Fuu. She was walking toward him. he looked back to the floor.  
  
Fuu stopped near him and watched him. He didn't raise his head.  
  
"May I seat with you?"  
  
Ferio nodded. She sat and looked at the floor too. There was some silence until Ferio decided to talk.  
  
"You don't need to tell me." He said. "I've already told you, I prefer the truth some other time than a lie now. I don't want lies, not from you." He said not looking at her. His words made Fuu feel even worse.  
  
"It is really a very difficult subject." She said. "I am no sure...I am not sure I will ever be able to tell someone." Ferio looked at her. "That is sad. You should find someone with whom share your things. If not, you'll keep them all inside, and it will hurt more and more everyday."  
  
Fuu looked at him then frowned.  
  
"I do not want to be rude, Ferio. But you are not exactly the person that should say that. You are always hiding things, are you are never honest to anyone."  
  
"I've been honest with you." He said looking at her. Fuu felt something in her heart. She felt happy.  
  
"And precisely because I've been doing it all my life, I'm telling you not to do it. I don't want you to be hurt."  
  
Fuu smiled. That was the real Ferio, not the one the thieves talked about.  
  
"Thank you Ferio." She said smiling. "Why are you different with me than with your friends?"  
  
"Why's that?" Ferio replied.  
  
Fuu wondered for some minutes. "Because...I... I kind of heard this conversation..."  
  
"You were hearing another persons conversation." Ferio said teasingly. Fuu blushed.  
  
"It...it was an accident..." she stammered.  
  
"But you still heard enough to ask me this." He said laughing.  
  
Fuu blushed even more. She was not the kind of people to hear other people's talk, but lately, she had done it twice, unintentionally, but still... Ferio smiled.  
  
"They were saying that you were probably helping us because you owed something, they said you betrayed them because you care for no one, it sounded not like you." Fuu said trying to return her color back to normal.  
  
"And you believed them?" Ferio asked looking into her eyes. This made her nervous again.  
  
"No. It's just that, if you gave them that impression... then you are not yourself with them." She said plainly. Ferio smiled.  
  
"Well. Actually, that's the way I was raised. I had to protect myself since I was little and learned fast not to trust anyone." He said.  
  
"Yes, that's what I thought when I met you. But still, you have been living with them for a while now. Shouldn't you be more yourself ?"  
  
Ferio smiled. "No, I've never trust anyone, not even them, not even my sister."  
  
"But why are you different with me?" Fuu said as she blushed and put her hand on her mouth. The sentence escaped from her mouth, she never meant to tell him that. But she was not that surprised, she continuously lost control of herself around him. Ferio smiled.  
  
"Have you ever heard of love at first sight?" he asked smiling and looking in her eyes. She blushed even more. Her heart beat faster.  
  
"Ferio, Fuu!" a voice came form the corridor. The couple looked to see who was it. Ferio would have killed him for interrupting them if it wasn't because Ascot was truly worried.  
  
"Ascot-san, is everything alright?" Fuu asked standing up, looking at his pale face.  
  
Ascot said nothing. "There's something you need to see. It's about Hikaru and Mokona." He said nervous. Fuu and Ferio looked to each other.  
  
"What happened Ascot?" Ferio asked. He then looked into Ascot. He wasn't looking neither to Fuu or him. he was looking at nothing.  
  
"Ascot?" Ferio asked. Fuu looked at her friend, he was strangely pale, when she then noticed something on his stomach. Something red. She gasped and ran toward him. Ferio looked at Fuu and then at Ascot. There was blood on his robe, Ascot's blood. When Fuu was about to reach Ascot, the young summoner collapsed. Ferio caught him just in time.  
  
"Oh goodness! He's been stabbed." Fuu said as she looked at the wound. Ferio looked at Ascot. He was now unconscious. He new what was going on.  
  
"Fuu, stay with Ascot, you can heal him right?" he said as he stood up. Fuu nodded. Ferio started to run.  
  
"Ferio! Where are you going?" She said trying to reach him.  
  
"He said there was something about Hikaru and Mokona. I'm sure it's Eagle. Your friends are in danger." He said as he ran away leaving Fuu and Ascot alone.  
  
Fuu looked at the wound. It was clean. She then cast her healing spell on him. The wound started to disappear along with the blood. Ascot regain his conscious again. As he opened his eyes he started to mumble something Fuu couldn't understand. As Ascot focused his gaze at Fuu he then jumped and grabbed her form the shoulders.  
  
"Fuu! We are in danger!" he said looking terrified.  
  
Fuu tried to calm him. "What happened Ascot-san?"  
  
Ascot looked bewildered. He looked all around them and the closed his eyes. He remember the light, the sword, the blood, his blood. Ascot opened his eyes and looked at his stomach. There was nothing.  
  
"I healed you. What happened Ascot-san?" Fuu asked again patience on her voice.  
  
Ascot closed his eyes and tried to talk.  
  
"Eagle... he had betrayed us. He entered your room and tried to kill Hikaru. He told his thieves to take Umi to a dungeon. I tried to protect Umi... but the thieves got out their swords. Lantis came and started fighting Eagle. But then something happened. Eagle used some strange artifact and Lantis got knocked out..." Ascot was speaking very fast, as trying to tell everything before it was erased from his brain. Fuu listened carefully. Ferio was right... Eagle had betrayed them.  
  
"...then Hikaru got all angry and something happened, a light got of Mokona's head and enveloped Hikaru... she got a sword..." Ascot stopped. "And then you were stabbed." Fuu finished for him. Ascot nodded.  
  
"But how did you get here?" Fuu asked.  
  
Ascot looked around them. "I...I don't know...there was a creature..."  
  
Fuu gasped... it couldn't be THAT creature. She stood up.  
  
"Ascot-san... we need to help them." She said as she started to run. Ascot watched her and nodded. He had to protect Umi.  
  
Ferio got to the girls room and watched the strange scene. Eagle was being threatened by Hikaru. All the thieves had stopped fighting since Eagle had Hikaru's strange sword right at his neck. Hikaru, however, wasn't herself, her gaze was lost and it showed anger. Umi was in the floor and Geo and Zazu arrived just as Ferio. Lantis was on the floor.  
  
Zazu and Geo tried to help Eagle but Ferio stopped them.  
  
"She'll kill him if you get any closer." He said. Geo and Zazu stopped and looked at Hikaru.  
  
"He's just trying to protect us!" Zazu yelled. Ferio looked at Hikaru... what the hell was going on?  
  
"Umi, come on..." Ferio said as he motioned her to stand up and walk toward him. She did so, no one tried to stop her.  
  
"What happened to Ascot?" she asked very worried.  
  
"He's with Fuu." Ferio answered.  
  
This made Umi relax. She knew Fuu could heal him.  
  
"Hikaru..." Umi said. "She got that strange sword form Mokona." She said.  
  
Ferio looked at Mokona, it was standing on the bed doing nothing. There was definitely something wrong with it.  
  
Just then Fuu and Ascot appeared form behind. They stopped as they saw the scene.  
  
"What is going on?" Fuu asked as she saw Lantis on the floor and Hikaru. Eagle couldn't move.  
  
"Can you check on Lantis?" Ferio asked. Fuu nodded and approached the royal soldier. Ferio was making sure no one would hurt her.  
  
"Don't let them go!" Eagle managed to say. Hikaru's sword got closer. The thieves didn't move.  
  
Lantis was just unconscious, she could just could try to wake him up. She did and after some seconds Lantis opened his eyes. Fuu helped him stand up and they walked near Ferio.  
  
"Hikaru! We need to go." Umi said. "It's useless, she isn't hearing." Ferio said. Fuu nodded. It was as if Hikaru was on some kind of trance. Lantis looked at Hikaru.  
  
"Hikaru..." he said softly. Amazingly, Hikaru's eyes turned to normal and she focused them on Lantis.  
  
"Lantis... you are alright!" she said smiling, then she realized the sword and Eagle. She took it away.  
  
"I'm sorry... what happened?" she said looking at the sword.  
  
They didn't had much time. Ferio jumped and placed a strange thing on the floor. He took Hikaru and started running.  
  
"THIS WAY!" he yelled. Ascot, Fuu, Umi and Lantis followed as a bomb exploded inside the room.  
  
They ran outside the hideout and into the forest. They needed to get off there, fast, Ferio tried to think fast... they had no horses, and now, not only all the guards were looking for them... but the thieves.  
  
'Eagle would take revenge. He can't trust them. He thinks we are going to revel the clans hideout.' Ferio thought as many crazy plans for escaping crossed his mind.  
  
As they reached a little river in the woods a shadow appeared in front of them. And t held Mokona.  
  
Well....... I think this is a little bit longer than usual. =D I hope you liked it... and I'll write more... soooooooooo wait for next chapter.  
  
Take care  
  
Kaze 


	11. Decision

Here again with another chapter. I am sorry if you expected it earlier, but I went on vacation so....anyway, here it is.  
  
I hope this chapter helps you get more into what will be the climax of the story, however, I told you sometime ago... I am kind of lost. Anyway.... I think that it is going well. If anyone thinks that I am crazy and that maybe I should throw myself to the garbage please say so. It really helps me to know what do you think, honesty is what makes stories better. Anyway, as far as I know, there are few people who really love the story, so please keep reviewing and tell me how this came out ok. (si Marlene te hablo a ti)  
  
Well too much BLA BLA BLA so:  
  
The Quest  
  
Ferio and the rest ran through the forest trying to escape from Eagle and the thieves, when they reached a small river. In that river waited a shadow, that shadow was holding Mokona.  
  
Chapter 11: Decision  
  
"Stop!" Ferio yelled as he saw the strange shadow at the river. It was holding Mokona. Everyone obeyed at once and looked at the scene.  
  
Mokona was trying desperately to get loose of the shadow. The shadow, almost everyone guessed, that attacked them at Ascot's house. However, it didn't seem to be letting Mokona go.  
  
"It's the shadow from before." Ascot said as he stood in front of Umi, who had no idea what that thing was.  
  
Lantis got of his sword and pointed at the creature.  
  
"Let Mokona go." He said in a stern voice. His eyes were menacingly. However, the shadow would not let Mokona go. In the other hand it turned around and started running on the water.  
  
Lantis followed it. He knew that all the strange things that had happened to Hikaru had to deal with Mokona. He was not letting anyone take it. The others ran behind Lantis, but they were not that fast. Ascot summoned a creature that could fly and carry them all.  
  
"Way to go Ascot! Although it would had come in handy in the clans hideout." Umi said as she patted the cute creature. Ascot blushed.  
  
"It is to big to fit in there and the idea kind of...slipped my mind before."  
  
They shortly reached Lantis. He had already summoned a horse. The shadow was extremely fast, he thought, for his mighty horse was unable to follow. Fuu looked at Mokona. She somewhere inside her knew she had to protect that fluffy creature. She pointed at it and took aim. After some seconds she cast her admonishment spell. It enveloped the shadow and Mokona. The reached it and got off the creature.  
  
The shadow tried to get rid of Fuu's spell, but it caught it by surprise. Ferio got near the creature and tried to take Mokona but he couldn't, the shadow was not letting it go.  
  
"It is a very stubborn shadow." Umi said as she watched Lantis looking at it.  
  
"What are you?" he asked. But the shadow just stared at him, hatred in its eyes.  
  
Ferio asked again but had no answer.  
  
"Ascot can you tell us what is it?" he asked.  
  
Ascot, as summoner, should know almost every creature in the world. Ascot looked at it and after some seconds and he closed his eyes. Ascot started to say some kind of a cantrip as some light engulfed the shadow. The shadow did nothing except for holding tighter Mokona. Ascot opened his eyes and looked at everyone.  
  
"A magic creature created with dark sorcery from Cefiro." He said not believing his own words.  
  
"Cefiro? Where is that?" Umi asked. Hikaru was just as lost as her friend. Ferio knew nothing either.  
  
"That is impossible." Fuu said looking at Ascot. "Cefiro is just a place of legend."  
  
"But I felt it." Ascot said. "I can feel and communicate with the creature heart. This one is from Cefiro... at least that's what it's heart says. The only creature I haven't been able to recognize is Mokona."  
  
Lantis stared at the creature. If that thing was really from Cefiro, then, things were just getting more and more difficult.  
  
"What exactly is Cefiro, and how come you know about it Fuu?" Ferio asked not understanding a thing. Umi and Hikaru nodded, they wanted to know.  
  
"I...I am not pretty sure what it is. Actually, nobody is known to know. It is just a tale about a world that has the equilibrium of our planet. If it is damaged someway... then our world will suffer a terrible catastrophe until Cefiro regains equilibrium again. It is believed to be the most magical place ever." She said. "However, only people who had gone mad had written about that, no one healthy has ever written stories or theories about Cefiro. That is why, it is just believed to be a lie... something to entertain fanatics of some sort."  
  
"But I felt it. I know this creature is from Cefiro." Ascot said trying not to sound out of his mind. Fuu looked at Ascot, even if he said so, there was nothing to prove Cefiro was nothing more than some joke. She looked at Ferio.  
  
"Maybe it tried to make you believe that." Umi said trying to calm Ascot. But he shook his head. Hikaru looked concerned at his friend.  
  
"I believe you Ascot-kun." She said as she smiled. "Ascot-kun has never been mistaken, and when he didn't know about Mokona he didn't lie, he just said so."  
  
"We are not telling Ascot-san is lying, Hikaru-san." Fuu said. "It is just that this is way to strange."  
  
"Silence." Lantis suddenly said. Everyone looked at him. He was looking behind them. Ferio listened. They had forgotten all about Eagle. This mistake could cause them lives. Eagle must be furious.  
  
"It's Eagle. We have to get out of here." He said lowing his voice. Everyone gasped.  
  
"What are we supposed to do with that." Umi said pointing at the shadow.  
  
"I can take it with us." Fuu said. She wasn't quite sure how long would she resist. The fact was that the shadow, although was not moving, was trying with all of it's strength to get rid of Fuu's spell. Perhaps no one had noticed. But Fuu was getting weaker every minute. But she couldn't say a thing, if the shadow noticed this, it would take advantage of this. She could just try to resist and make her friends notice in some other way. They all mounted Ascot's creature.  
  
"Where to?" Ascot asked as suddenly beneath them, from the river, a wall of water hit them. Everyone fell of the creature Fuu manage to keep the spell while she protected Ferio from a rock on the ground, but in that instant the shadow noticed Fuu's weakness.  
  
When everyone was on the floor, the wall of water disappeared giving shape to a very familiar face. King Stephen. Everyone looked surprise. Lantis saw his king and immediately vowed. Ferio tried to hide Fuu, but that was not useful.  
  
"Well, well, well. You've found the prisoners of Kiam Lantis. Well done." He said looking at Fuu and Ferio. He switched his gaze to Umi. "And the lost princess. You are more useful than your elder brother, who has suddenly disappeared."  
  
Lantis kept watching the ground. He didn't know that the king possessed some kind of magic. This was strange.  
  
"Any clues where he is?" the king said as he looked at the shadow and his treasure: Mokona.  
  
"No, your highness."  
  
Fuu felt that the shadow was giving a humongous effort to free itself. A power, she realized, she couldn't handle anymore. She started to feel very tired. Ferio looked at her, she was getting pale. It was the magic, he guessed. Like the day they escaped from the dungeon. They needed to get out off there. Lantis felt Fuu's power decrease, it was getting dangerous.  
  
"Your majesty. We found this creature roaming in the forest. He robbed something and we had captured it. I believe it is a threat to our kingdom." Lantis by now knew the king was no friend, he had never liked him, and now, he felt some terrible evil power encircling the king.  
  
The king looked at Lantis.  
  
"You speak in plural, yet I see no more guards in this river." The king said playfully. "Are you suggesting that these, traitors, helped me?"  
  
Lantis looked at his king, he then looked at Ascot. The young summoner understood the message. They needed to get out of there as fast as they could. He would have to summon his faster beast.  
  
"Are you, Lantis, also a traitor?" the king said smiling at him.  
  
"Just as you are." Lantis said as he got of his sword and attacked the king. At that same moment Ascot tried to summon a monster but they were al stopped by a terrible scream. A scream that entered through their ears and right to their brains making a horrible pain in their heads. Everyone got to the floor and put their hands on their ears. It was the shadow the one that was screaming. Fuu was not letting it go, even if meant losing all of her strength. However the shadow had other plans and it managed to roll near Ferio and when he was near enough, it spit at him on the shoulder. Fuu watched this. The shadow had spitted at Ferio some sort of black thing. Ferio yelled in pain as he grabbed his shoulder soon, he started to gain a yellow color on his skin. Fuu ran toward Ferio holding her breath, she couldn't hear a thing, still knew Ferio was screaming in pain. The shadow spoke on her mind.  
  
"Let me go, and perhaps, he'll survive." It said menacingly. Fuu looked at the shadow in horror. Ferio was getting more yellow and his eyes were starting to cry tears of blood. Fuu remembered the voice before. The creature from the dream.  
  
"He'll be about to die and you'll betray your world just for saving him... then he'll die again......and your path will be........."  
  
She had seen Ferio like that before....on that vision. She closed her eyes. She couldn't think... somewhere in her mind she knew that If she let the creature go something terrible would happen. But still, Ferio would die... and she hadn't tell him, she would be without him. Selfishness invaded his body and soul as she told her mind that she loved him and that she was not going to obey that creature. She tried to make herself believe that her decision was the right one and that things where going to turn out good eventually. She would save Ferio, for them, no matter the consequences. She felt like hours had passed when it really was a matter of two seconds, when she looked, tears on her eyes, at the shadow and nodded. As she did so she heard a voice from far away, like in another world. It was Lantis' voice.  
  
"Don't Fuu!!!!! NO!!!"  
  
And suddenly a light enveloped her and she heard the singing voice of a woman. She had golden hair and blue, sad eyes. And everything turned black.  
  
Fuu opened her eyes. She focused the light that apparently entered from a window. She closed them again. She felt terrible. Not only because of her body, which she could barely move, but for what she knew she had done. She tried to turn around and see where she was. Maybe she was dead, though she felt her body and the pain. She opened her eyes again and saw someone on the other bed. It was Ferio. Suddenly all the pain she felt got away for some seconds. Was he alright? She questioned. She tried to get up, but it was really a very difficult task. She closed her eyes in desperation. What happened? She wondered. She tried to speak, but no words came from her mouth. She tried again, but all she did was hurting herself more and more. She opened her eyes again as she heard a voice. Though she couldn't make out what it said. It seemed that the person was miles away. She saw no one. Again she tried to get up. When she visualized someone in front of her. She was amazed.  
  
'Clef-sama...' she thought as she again lost consciousness.  
  
I was going to leave it until "and everything became dark" but them I thought.... Don't be mean, give them some clues.  
  
See? I am a nice writer! ( Well I hope you liked it. I know it is not as long as the other ones, but this is better than nothing right???  
  
Well, I'll see you on next chapter.  
  
Take care  
  
Kaze 


	12. Rescued

Another chap!!! Yay!!! I am very happy. Every time I finish a chapter I feel better... the story is going on and everything is ok and I feel like jumping happily all around my house!!  
  
Umm... sorry.. anyway. I am happy to see the story continuous to be accepted....that means that I should be able to finish it sooner. Actually, there have been popping some ideas in my mind this last weeks... but I have refused to write them until I finish this. They are all MKR and F/F =D  
  
THANKS to all those who read this and SPECIAL thanks to all those who review!!!!  
  
(MKR is not mine it belongs to CLAMP)  
  
The Quest  
  
Chapter 12: Rescued  
  
Fuu was running through a dark hall, the windows only showed more darkness in the outside. There were some beams of light that appeared apparently without reason from anywhere. Fuu ran as fast as she could. She was afraid to look behind, but she did. The creature was still running after her. She could see the anger on its eyes. She ran even faster, but her legs weren't strong enough. She fell on the floor and looked at the beast in front of her. She tried to talk, but no words came from her mouth. She could only stare at her persecutor. The creature did nothing. It stayed there in the shadows and watched the young sorceress. Fuu felt no danger, although she could tell the creature was angry. And she knew perfectly why. The creature came out from the shadows and revealed, at last to Fuu. It was a giant bird with two wings. She couldn't tell the color. The bird's eyes where yellow almost golden, and it stared right at her own eyes.  
  
"My name is Windam." It said inside Fuu's head. Fuu was at first confused but tried the same methodology. She tried to speak with it through it's head.  
  
"I am Hououji Fuu." She said as calm as she could.  
  
The bird stood quiet and Fuu wondered if she could truly speak with it in that way.  
  
"I know." It responded. "You have not followed my advises." This time the voice was more calm.  
  
Fuu looked at the bird. Windam seemed to be disappointed.  
  
"I know I haven't. I am sorry...but I can not..."she said trying to gather all of her strength.  
  
"You can not sacrifice that feeling." Windam said. "That feeling you have for the young man. Even if it meant saving other people, you couldn't."  
  
Fuu felt guilty, she preferred to save Ferio than keeping that shadow prisoner. She had felt that it was a terrible thing to do. However, she knew nothing, she didn't know what was all of this about. What was really happening, the dreams, Mokona, Umi and Hikaru... she felt a strange bond with them and still... Fuu knew really nothing.  
  
"Please Windam-san, tell me what is going on. I really do not understand anything, I feel things but can not understand its true meaning. You have been in my dream for some days now, so please, tell me. What is happening?" she pleaded as if finally she was about to uncover the greatest mystery ever.  
  
"You are one of the keys to a new hope." It said leaving Fuu even more confused. Then a picture appeared between them. Fuu could see the world suddenly destroyed. There were people screaming and trying to escape from a terrible wave of monsters and evil people that laugh at their sadistic task. People were dead, and everyone was suffering. She, on the other side of the picture, could see a place she'd never seen before but knew immediately it's name. "Cefiro..." she whispered as another characters made their entrance. It was King Stephen and the minister from Kiam. They were laughing. But in all the catastrophe, there were three lights, red, blue and green. Fuu knew what it meant.  
  
"You are three keys from four to prevent this to happen. However the fourth one was already taken by the enemy. You have to choose...."  
  
The bird started to disappear and Fuu couldn't get it. "Choose what?" she said trying to grab Windam, but it vanished as a picture appeared in front of her. Fuu gasped.  
  
"Ferio..."  
  
"Is she really going to be alright?" a voice asked. Fuu blue eyes looked at her as a smile appeared on her face.  
  
"Fuu!!!! You are awake!!" the woman said hugging Fuu with all of her strength. Fuu was all confused. Was that a dream again?  
  
"O my gosh! You are really fine! Look at you, you are all weak and look like a doll that has been thrown to the garbage!" the woman kept talking. Fuu tried to hold herself but found out that she really was too weak to carry her own body.  
  
"Ca...Caldina-san." She managed to say. The woman smiled and hugged her again.  
  
"You remember this fabulous good looking lady!" she said smiling happily. Fuu gave her a small tired smile.  
  
"Caldina, you can't be treating Fuu like that!" a man said from behind. He was a blonde man with blue eyes. He had his right arm in a bandage and he was obviously recovering from a fight. He got close to Fuu's bed and put his healthy arm around Caldina's waist. Fuu smiled as she sat on her bed doing a very strong effort to stay like that.  
  
"Lafarga-san. I am very happy to see you two are alright." She said smiling. The couple smiled and looked at the other side of the room. Fuu followed their gaze to find the bed she saw before. The bed where Ferio was.  
  
"You are the only one that has regained conscious." Caldina said looking sadly at Ferio. Fuu looked at him. He looked terrible, just as she might look. She felt her strength leaving her again. Lafarga got her before she fell.  
  
"You must rest. Master Clef said that you had a very dangerous situation."  
  
Fuu nodded. She was at home. At last back at the castle, and she didn't felt that happy. When she was back at jail, she had decided to die and never get back. The people she knew were good people, but her life, back then was empty. But...  
  
"What happened?" she asked noticing she had missed a very long part of the story. "We were fighting that shadow, we were very far away from Kiam... how did we get hear?" she asked.  
  
"It is a very long story, that not even we know. I was helping dear Lafarga with his wounds when suddenly Master Clef entered here, telling us that we needed some free beds. We arranged everything when a couple entered with everyone. You all were unconscious."  
  
"Everyone?" Fuu asked.  
  
"Well, you, this young man, the princess, another girl, and three other men. I believe one of them is a soldier from our enemy." She said looking nervous. Lafarga frowned and looked at the door on the left of the room. The infirmary had many rooms connected, Fuu and Ferio were in one of them, the rest must be in the other rooms.  
  
"Three... three other men, you mean King Stephen?" Fuu said. She couldn't remember anyone else back then.  
  
"Oh no! Not him.. "Caldina said looking puzzled. "Weren't you traveling with four men?" she asked. Fuu waved her head as in no.  
  
"How strange..." Caldina said. "There is a young boy with brown hair, that keeps saying Princess Umi's name all the time. The soldier with black hair and another man with white hair..." she said trying to make Fuu remember.  
  
"White hair?" Fuu said suddenly realizing. "He has white hair?" she asked.  
  
Lafarga and Caldina nodded.  
  
'It must be Eagle-san. He must had reach the river by the time Clef-sama rescued us.' She thought trying to make some connections.  
  
"So, you know him..." Caldina said.  
  
Fuu nodded. "Was Clef-sama, the one that rescued us?"  
  
Caldina shook her head. "It was the strangers. A very beautiful blonde woman with blue eyes and a man that looks exactly like the solider. I believe their names are Emeraude and Zagato." Caldina said looking at the door from the left.  
  
Lantis laid unconscious on the bed. He had terrible nightmares about Hikaru been harmed. Zagato and Emeraude were at his side.  
  
"They were lucky." Zagato said looking at his younger brother.  
  
Emeraude nodded. "Very lucky. If the rune-gods wouldn't have been there... they all would had..." she didn't finished the sentence. She remembered seeing her brother. He was bleeding... he was dieing. She tried to erase that memory.  
  
"Have you spoken with Clef?" Zagato asked. "You have to tell him everything. He must be warned, now that Mokona has been taken."  
  
"Yes... he knows a lot about this, however... what will he say when we tell him that his apprentice and more important, his princess, are keys?" she said sadly.  
  
"He'll have to accept it." He said standing up. "If they have to die for our sake then... "  
  
"Please Zagato, don't be so heartless!" Emeraude said. "Those girls are important to many people, like Hikaru for example! How will you tell your brother?" she said.  
  
The door opened and Clef entered. He was carrying a transparent jar with some strange liquid.  
  
"Good morning." He said approaching the couple. Emeraude and Zagato stayed quiet. Clef looked at them. Then he got near Lantis and gave him some of the liquid.  
  
"I've manage to get the antidote. They'll be fine in some minutes." He said as he cleaned Lantis' mouth and headed now to Hikaru's bed.  
  
"Master Clef. We need to talk." Emeraude said.  
  
"I know." Clef answered. He gave Hikaru the antidote.  
  
Zagato stood up and kissed Emeraude softly on the lips, then he headed to the door.  
  
"I am leaving now. I'll return to my country." He said giving them his back. Emeraude looked at the floor, tears gathering on her eyes.  
  
"There is a war I have to keep battling." He said as he left.  
  
Clef looked at Emeraude. "That war is stupid." He said. She nodded.  
  
"Yes... but he thinks he has to protect his country... even if..." she said. "...even if the reasons are stupid."  
  
Clef closed his eyes. "What is it you want to tell me?"  
  
Emeraude looked at the man. She then looked away and walked near Hikaru.  
  
"It's about Cefiro." She said. "We are, as you know, in grave danger."  
  
Clef nodded. If Mokona was in hands of King Stephen then...  
  
"The most important key was stolen. Yet, we have to find the other three keys to close the evil from Cefiro." He said.  
  
Emeraude looked at Clef, she managed to hold some tears. She shook her head.  
  
"No, Master Mage... we do not have to find the other keys. They are already here." She said.  
  
Clef was very surprised. "Are they already awake?" he asked. Emeraude shook her head again.  
  
Clef sighed. Then a terrible fear appeared in his heart. He looked at Emeraude.  
  
"Who are they?" he asked looking at Lantis. Pleading that it was the strangers. Selfish, he was. But he didn't want to see any of his loved ones as key.  
  
"The little one." Emeraude said looking at Hikaru. Clef looked at her, he felt guilty for wishing something like that to a girl like her. Clef looked back at Emeraude.  
  
"The wind sorceress..." she said. Clef felt a bolt in his heart.  
  
"Fuu??" he said softly. Emeraude nodded sadly. Clef looked at his hands. She was more than his student, she was more like a daughter for him... and now she was. He tried to calm himself. Fuu's destiny couldn't be so dark. But there was more and he felt it... he knew who was next...  
  
"...and the princess." Emeraude finished as some tears dropped on the floor.  
  
Clef looked at Emeraude unbelieving, shock in his eyes. Umi was a key too. He clenched his fist and turned around.  
  
'Why has destiny chosen those who I love the most? WHY?' he thought as rage gathered inside of him.  
  
Caldina was helping Fuu with the pillow, she wanted to be sited since Caldina wanted to hear all the story, Caldina hadn't heard a thing since Fuu was captured in the battlefield. She actually was very surprised to see her again. She had feared the worst. Lafarga went for something to drink and eat, mostly for Caldina, the reason, the arrival of a new baby. Caldina was pregnant and the news made Fuu very happy.  
  
"So... tell me everything." Caldina said very exited. "How in the world did you manage to escape from jail?"  
  
Fuu looked back at Ferio.  
  
"It would be his doing." Fuu said looking worriedly at Ferio. "We were at the same cage, and we both escaped the same day I arrived." She said returning her gaze at Caldina.  
  
Caldina gave her a strange smile. Fuu looked puzzled.  
  
"So...you are friends?" Caldina asked with a very weird expression.  
  
Fuu got the message. She blushed furiously as she turned her head.  
  
"We... yes... we are friends." She answered.  
  
"Just friends????" Caldina said getting closer to Fuu.  
  
"...Yes... just friends... "Fuu said remembering what happened before Eagle attacked Lantis.  
  
-----Flashback-----  
  
"Have you ever heard of love at first sight?"  
  
-----End of flashback----  
  
She blushed. Caldina smiled triumphantly.  
  
"Then, why the hell did you kept saying his name all the time you were asleep?" Caldina said giving some giggles. Fuu couldn't believe her ears, she'd been saying his name? Fuu blushed even more.  
  
"Gotcha!!!!!!!!!" Caldina said now laughing. Fuu looked at her... the situation made her feel very uncomfortable. "Seriously Fuu, you've got to be more careful with that subconscious of yours. You even said his name in front of Clef and the strangers..." Caldina said looking now strangely serious at her.  
  
Fuu blushed more. She felt very embarrassed. She was happy Umi hadn't heard that, for she would have her bothering for a looooong time. In that moment entered Clef and Emeraude. Fuu and Caldina got quiet as soon as they so them come in. Clef was about to tell Caldina to shut up, when he saw Fuu awake. He looked very impressed at her.  
  
"Fuu? You are awake." He said getting nearer. Fuu smiled and nodded.  
  
"Hello, Master Clef." She said. "I am terribly sorry if I worried you."  
  
"No, Fuu. There is no reason for an apology." Her master said. "I'm impressed you are awake."  
  
Fuu remembered Caldina telling her that she was the only one already awake.  
  
"I...I just..." she said trying to explain. "I do not understand what is happening Clef-sama." She said worried.  
  
"I know..." Clef said, looking suddenly at Emeraude. "I'll explain everything I can."  
  
Fuu looked confused at her master... he could explain things? She then looked at Emeraude, and she gasped.  
  
Blonde hair, sad blue eyes... that face. She knew that face. Fuu looked shocked at the woman. Caldina and Clef looked at her. Emeraude smiled.  
  
"Hi, I reckon you don't know me. My name is Emeraude." She said introducing herself. Fuu snapped out of the trance.  
  
"I am sorry... I am...." She started.  
  
"Fuu..." Emeraude said. Fuu stood quiet and nodded.  
  
"Fuu, I have to thank you." She said taking one of Fuu's hands. Fuu looked at her not understanding.  
  
"Thanks, for what? I have done..." she said but Emeraude shook her head slowly.  
  
"I have to thank you, for saving Ferio's life." She said looking at Fuu's eyes. "If it wasn't for you...my little brother would be...." Emeraude said trying to keep her tears. Fuu stood there wide eyes open. So it was true. That woman that was in front of her was the little girl of her dream... she was Ferio's older sister.  
  
Ascot had wondered through the castle undetected trying to find her. When he awoke he had the strange feeling that something was not fine. He stood and walked away from the nursery. His body was heavy and he could barely move. But he had to make sure. When he got up he saw Eagle on the other bed. He was still unconscious, he had a very bad feeling. He didn't know where he was, but he would guess. Finally he reached a tall door, it was covered with all kinds of blue garments. A woman was getting out of it. Ascot stood there.  
  
"Umi-san..." he managed to say. The woman turned around and saw the young man. She ran toward him.  
  
"What are you doing? Clef said you should rest." The woman said.  
  
"Umi-san..." he repeated. The woman understood. She gave a small smile.  
  
"She is fine. The Master Mage has already given her a medicine, she'll be fine, now go or I'll punish you as soon as you get better." She said smiling and giggling. Ascot looked at her and returned the smile.  
  
"Thank you..."  
  
"I'm Presea... don't worry... you'll all be fine."  
  
Finish!!!!!!!!! Well... this is it.. I hope you liked it.. I feel that maybe it was kind of slow because it was given some info and stuff... and well I hope no one is confused... anyway.. Caldina and Presea finally appeared. That is wonderful! I feel that these characters are very special... like Umi, I think that they have strong and complicated personalities but at the same time make the story lighter... adding some fun and optimism. =D.... Well!!!!! I'll see you later!  
  
Take care!  
  
Kaze 


End file.
